The most difficult period in one’s life is the teenage period. The teenagers have to learn social responsibilities, and act as if they are grown-ups though they are still being treated as children (“Causes of Teenage Suicide” para.1). Moreover, teenagers’ bodies undergo numerous changes that they fail to understand completely. They end up feeling confused and without help. For teenagers aged 15-24 years in the United States, suicide is the third leading cause of their deaths, behind unintentional accidents and homicide (“Suicide” para. 1). After everyone and half a minute, a teenager takes his or her life by own hands. There are fifty to one hundred teenagers attempting suicide for every one successful attempt. These trends are worrying. Many factors lead to teenagers committing suicide.
Most adolescents who attempt suicide are experiencing deep depression. Stress has been attributed as the major cause of depression. Among the factors that cause stress are pressures to be successful and stress from unfulfilling relationships. The pressure to achieve may come from the desire to get high grades, have the best job, get admission to a reputable institution of higher learning, or excel in sports activities.
The stage that young people transform from childhood to adulthood is often filled with stressful biological changes. The physical attributes of the body as well as their emotional status generally change. The teens’ problem-solving skills and new techniques in undertaking tasks are influenced by heavy feelings of stress and uncertainty.
In most young people, the common biological changes when coupled with other difficult situations experienced in their lives such as divorce in the family, relocating to a new environment, difficulties at school, or other hefty scenarios may particularly upset, moreover, overwhelm them. The difficult situations may seem like a mountain too high to climb. The resort, for some, is to try in their luck in the land of eternal bliss (“Teen Suicide” para. 2-3).
Statistics show that about 12 to 25 percent of most youngsters have some type of mental imagery regarding suicide (Suicide ideation). The possibility of attempting suicide increases when the thoughts and feelings persist. These are compounded by behavioral changes or particular plans to commit suicide,
Directly related to depression is low self-esteem. The changes due to modernization give emphasis to high beauty standards. The electronic and print media portray beautiful images of “perfect” individuals. An example is Cindy Crawford who has excelled in the advertisement makeup industry and authored a book on makeup and beauty. Several teen magazines also have these captivating images. Because of these masquerading images, some teens have developed the belief that they are unable to be beautiful in their own unique way, hence harbor low self-esteem.
The abuse of drugs and alcohol by young people may be accompanied by long-term depression and possible attempts to commit suicide. Drug abuse plays a vital role in attempted and completed suicide among the teens. The addiction to drugs affects the brain’s chemical balance and adds to the emotions of sadness and depression. In addition, withdrawal symptoms result from abuse of drugs by the teens. The dependency on drugs by young people is a potential factor that yields hopelessness and helplessness. As the drug becomes increasingly of essence, mentally as well as physically, this often results in unsatisfying feelings related to being out of control. Physical sickness and feelings of being low associated with drug abuse are usually not very nice and can enhance moods of depression and thoughts of committing suicide (“Teen Drug Abuse” para. 3).
Genetic factors contribute to young people taking their lives by their own hands. This occurs when a teen has a family member or a close relative who attempted or completed suicide in the past. However, this does not guarantee that if a teenager’s mum, dad, or grandparent attempted suicide then the young person will automatically attempt suicide as well. Studies have found a connection between the two situations (Schieltz para. 4).
Suicide deaths are more prevalent among the ones who unsuccessfully tried it before. The precise brain chemistry of individuals who commit suicide has been understood through scientific research. Serotonin, a brain chemical, plays the role of managing impulsivity. Deficient levels of serotonin lead to impulsive actions in individuals. Those who had attempted suicide are at a higher risk of committing suicide due to this since suicidal incidences are usually done out of impulse. Antidepressant medicines that affect serotonin are administered in treating depression, impulsivity, and thoughts of suicide (Shaffer)
Various problems at home lead to teen suicide. One of these is parental neglect. The 21st-century parents rarely spend time at home to have a chat with their kids. This makes the teens lack the necessary support for their development. A teen’s support ring with family members is an important consideration. In instances when teens lack emotional support to help them cope with crises, this compounds other causes and factors in young people committing suicide.
The types of difficulties that the youngsters encounter may be significantly different from those of the older people, but the difficulties are very real to the teenagers who are encountering them. Youngsters are usually accorded a lot of freedom, which reciprocates to more responsibility that they are unable to cope with. If a young person is experiencing a problem, and lacks somebody to lean on, he or she may have feelings of neglect, and aloofness. If the teenager continues to face these problems singly-handedly, he or she may be overwhelmed by the occurrences and start entertaining suicidal thoughts.
Worse still, dramatic changes in the home due to the parents divorcing is an upheaval event that is difficult for the teens to handle. This often depresses the teens as sometimes they associate this occurrence with their faults. Emotions of guilt and shame may arise due to this.
Domestic violence is another problem teens experience at home. Even though the violence may not be aimed directly at the young person, it can be pleasing to flee. In such difficult situations, some teens see death as the escape route in avoiding these problems. Financial constraints in the home may embarrass a teenager. The sudden loss of means of livelihood in the home may prompt the youngster to “help” his or her family members by lowering the expenses related to the household.
The risk of committing suicide is high when teenagers have unauthorized access to firearms in the home. Reports indicated that nearly sixty percent of all suicides in the United States involve firearms. The unsafe keeping of loaded and unlocked guns in the home has been attributed to these incidences. Improper keeping of ammunition apart from the gun should be avoided as the teens often get undue access to them.
The daily lives of most teens are filled with stress due to peer pressure, which causes them to experience torment, isolation, and feelings of indifference from others. These problems may lead to depression. Peer pressure is exhibited in the form of bullying, ill talking, and violence from compatriots. Since at this stage teens are experiencing major developmental changes, they lack the logical abilities to work their way out of these difficult circumstances.
Teens often experience behavioral problems such as getting in trouble in school or with the law. Most of us think that shy and overwhelmed persons are the ones at risk of committing suicide. Most often, we disregard the arrogant, intolerable youngster, even though his unbecoming character of constantly having trouble has exactly the same outcome. The frequent getting in trouble by the teens is a potential risk to committing suicide (O’Connor para. 10).
Teenagers go through many social problems. Teen suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people in United States alone. Society must now boldly face some difficult questions. Why do teens abuse drugs? What are the responsibilities of parents? What is the role of the media in this? e.t.c. This fastest growing killer of the future leaders of this nation must be addressed, or our country will simply not have a bright future. The elder people can assist in preventing teen suicide by cultivating open, frank talks with the young people. Efforts should be made in addressing the warning signs of teen suicide.
Works Cited
“Causes of Teenage Suicide.” Baby Boomer Care. 2007. Web.
O’Connor, Richard. “Teen Suicide.” Focus Adolescent Services.2008. Web.
Schaffer, David. “Teenage Suicide.” Nami. National Alliance on Mental Illness. 2009. Web.
Schieltz, Mathew. “Causes of Teenage Suicide.” eHow.2009. Web.
“Suicide.” Keeping kids alive. National MCH center for child death review. Web.
“Teen Drug Abuse.” Teen Suicide. 2005. Web.
“Teen Suicide.” Mental Health Disorders. University of Virginia. 2007. Web.