Teen Suicide
Depression
Depression is a leading cause of teenage suicide. Suicidal teenagers may become depressed and contemplate suicide after the death of a loved one, parental divorce, inability to make friends or do well in school, or witnessing violence in the home. These teens may feel extreme despair that they do not understand, and may feel helpless and hopeless because they cannot see a solution for the anguish they feel. To these teenagers, suicide may seem like the only way to make the pain stop. In addition, rejection from friends, peers and family may cause teenagers to become suicidal. Ridicule from parents because of sexual orientation may cause insecure teenagers to commit suicide as a way to gain freedom from the negative stigma.
Mental Illness
Teenagers who have a mental illness are more prone to commit suicide than teenagers without a mental illness. KidsHealth.org states that approximately 95 percent of teenagers who commit suicide have a mental illness at the time of death. Many times teenagers suffering from mental illness do not consistently take their medications, and when they do not take their medications on a regular basis they may experience depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety which can lead to suicide.
Physical and Sexual Abuse
Some teenagers commit suicide because they are being abused. These teens may feel like the only way to escape the physical and sexual abuse is to commit suicide. Teenagers are often afraid to tell anyone about the abuse if the abuser is a family member or close friend for fear of retaliation. Suicidal teenagers may feel isolated and unable to disclose what is happening to them. These teens may believe that the only way to make the abuse stop is to commit suicide.
Lack of Support
A lack of support may prompt teenagers to take their own lives. Suicidal teens may have a poor relationship with their parents or extended family members. These teens may not feel accepted or loved, and often lack the support of
Depression is a leading cause of teenage suicide. Suicidal teenagers may become depressed and contemplate suicide after the death of a loved one, parental divorce, inability to make friends or do well in school, or witnessing violence in the home. These teens may feel extreme despair that they do not understand, and may feel helpless and hopeless because they cannot see a solution for the anguish they feel. To these teenagers, suicide may seem like the only way to make the pain stop. In addition, rejection from friends, peers and family may cause teenagers to become suicidal. Ridicule from parents because of sexual orientation may cause insecure teenagers to commit suicide as a way to gain freedom from the negative stigma.
Mental Illness
Teenagers who have a mental illness are more prone to commit suicide than teenagers without a mental illness. KidsHealth.org states that approximately 95 percent of teenagers who commit suicide have a mental illness at the time of death. Many times teenagers suffering from mental illness do not consistently take their medications, and when they do not take their medications on a regular basis they may experience depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety which can lead to suicide.
Physical and Sexual Abuse
Some teenagers commit suicide because they are being abused. These teens may feel like the only way to escape the physical and sexual abuse is to commit suicide. Teenagers are often afraid to tell anyone about the abuse if the abuser is a family member or close friend for fear of retaliation. Suicidal teenagers may feel isolated and unable to disclose what is happening to them. These teens may believe that the only way to make the abuse stop is to commit suicide.
Lack of Support
A lack of support may prompt teenagers to take their own lives. Suicidal teens may have a poor relationship with their parents or extended family members. These teens may not feel accepted or loved, and often lack the support of