Vi Hoang – ID1629627

Youth Suicide

Suicide is becoming one of the top leading causes of death among teenagers in today’s society. Studies show that suicide rates are greatest among individuals between the ages of 15 to 21. Suicide is a tragic event because it creates a profound impact on the community and all the people associated with the person that died. Paying more attention and being more alert to the causes and warning signs of suicide early and seeking the right treatment can make all the difference in potentially saving someone’s life. Suicide rates are higher among males then females, however the more attempts are higher among females. Teenagers tend to commit suicide because it is considered to be their escape from dealing with the stress and failures surrounding their everyday lives. It is thought that teens who are suicidal feel that they are alone and have difficulty adjusting to the changes in their lives. Depression is one of the main causes for suicide among teens. Adults don’t pay attention to the warning signs of depression because they tend to think that children having nothing to be sad about. However, what the parents don’t realize are the pressures that teenagers in today’s societies have to go through everyday. Dating, applying for colleges, and the influences of drugs and alcohol are a few examples of the social pressures that exist. Depression, frustration, rejection, and dealing with a breakup from girlfriend/boyfriend can prove to be too much for a teen because they don’t know how to deal with it the right way. Gun control is also another issue related to suicide. Some people believe that restricting access to firearms. More guys succeed in killing themselves because they resort to a more lethal ways like guns. No one knows whether or not restricting guns could lower the rates of suicide, because there are other means like overdosing on pills or hanging. Whenever someone has their mind’s set on ending their life, they will use whatever is available to them. However I believe that it will still be worthwhile to try and reduce the amount of guns available, since it might still make a small decrease on the suicide rate. When an individual commits suicide, it impacts the families and the communities as a whole. It creates a burden for the people close to the victim because they are left to mourn and live the rest of their life wondering what was the reason that could have caused that certain individual to resort to suicide. People also have a sense of guilt because