Starting the Road to Safety and Self Confidence

Posted by Nicholas Doroba in English 1 - Dunn on

Teenage Suicide is one of the leading causes of death for teenagers - its the third leading cause. So, even though we do not hear a great deal about teen suicide, it is a very real problem, causing the deaths of thousands of teenagers across the country each year. I want to know how we can make the world a not only a safe place, but a comfortable place and starting out with teens seems like the right place to start because after all we are the next generation to inherit the world. Teen suicide attempts are calls for help. Many teenagers have thoughts of death. These can stem from a variety of causes, and can result in actual attempts on their own lives. It is important to take suicide attempts seriously. 

National Institute of Mental Health believes that as many as 25 suicides are attempted for each one that is completed. That means that for every teen suicide that you hear of, there are probably at least 25 suicide attempts made. And this does not even cover the teenage suicide attempts and completed suicides that are never heard about. Males are four times more likely to die from suicide than females. However, teen girls are more likely than teen boys to attempt suicide. So, even though teenage girls make more attempts on their own lives than teenage boys, the boys are more likely to actually complete a suicide attempt.


Studies show that 4 out of 5 teen suicide attempts have been preceded by clear warning signs.
Teen suicide warning signs:

It is important to take the warning signs of teen suicide seriously and to seek help if you thing that you know a teenager who might be suicidal. Here are some of the things to look for: 

  • Disinterest in favorite extracurricular activities 
  • Problems at work and losing interest in a job 
  • Substance abuse, including alcohol and drug (illegal and legal drugs) use
  • Behavioral problems 
  • Withdrawing from family and friends 
  • Sleep changes 
  • Changes in eating habits 
  • Begins to neglect hygiene and other matters of personal appearance 
  • Emotional distress brings on physical complaints (aches, fatigues, migraines) 
  • Hard time concentrating and paying attention 
  • Declining grades in school
  • Loss of interest in schoolwork 
  • Risk taking behaviors 
  • Complains more frequently of boredom 
  • Does not respond as before to praise
Teen suicide statistics offer a look at the most likely causes of teen suicide. Some of the strongest teenage suicide risk factors include the following: 
  • Aggressive behavior 
  • Disruptive behavior
  • Substance abuse
  • Depression
In many cases, they don’t know how to deal with their feelings and problems and are looking for someone to help them find assistance. Acknowledging these warning signs and seeking help for the problem, and offering support to a teenager who is working through his or her issues is very important, and can help prevent suicide. Teen suicide is a very real danger, and heeding the warning signs can truly save a life.

I wonder how parents, families, and friends can prevent teenage suicide and how we can evolve a better world to comfort teenagers to help them over come suicidal thoughts. For my next blog I will research how we could prevent teenage suicide. In further research I am going to find out about suicides related to LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transexual, and Questioning) and why LGBTQ 'victims' lie or hide their true feelings and how depression relates to teen suicide. ]

Bibliography:
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