The Factors And Preventions Of Teen Suicide

In this paper, I plan to argue that teen suicide is a serious issue in the society we live in today. It
is starting to become more common among the teens in our community. People all around us
are constantly being affected by this issue. In my hometown, Woodstock in 2016, five teens
committed suicide within weeks of each other. This weighed heavily on my community during
this time. People even started to label it as a suicide pact. Students from within the area staged
a walkout to protest. I have had many close friends and family affected. We need to consider
possible reasons why our youth is crying for help at such a young age. What is our generation
doing so differently that is causing our teens to not want to live anymore? Evidence states that
teens of today's communities are at a high risk of suicide which is beginning to negatively
impact our generation. People of the community and mental health professionals should take
more precaution regarding their teens’ well-being.

“Suicide is the second leading cause of death for children, adolescents, and young adults age
5-to-24 years old” (Aacap, n.d.). Just sit and think about that statement for a minute, “suicide is
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the second leading cause of death for adolescents” (Aacap, n.d.). I do not know about you, but
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this statement weighs heavy on my heart. Why is this happening? Being a teenager should be
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the most exciting time of your life. A time where you welcome change and embrace it with open
arms. A time when you plan for the future and live life to the fullest. Although all of this seems
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tremendous, it is not always the case. The majority of adolescents who commit suicide or
attempt to do so are the ones we normally do not recognize as being in a crisis. They could be
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the ones we least expect it to happen to -----the ones we see smiling, laughing, and having a
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good time with their friends. It can even be the ones engaging in student activities and who are
the most popular. Little do we know that they could be hiding it all deep down inside. “Many
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people who commit suicide do so without letting on that they are thinking about it or planning it”
(Skerrett, 2017, par. 2). However, some do mention it from time to time. They may say things
like, “ I’d be better off dead” or “if I see you again” (Skerrett, 2017, par. 10). For me these are
very alarming statements. Could you imagine someone saying that to you? I cannot even
comprehend how they must be feeling. “Most teens that have been interviewed after a suicide
attempt say that what causes teen suicide are feelings of hopelessness and helplessness”
(Tracyn, 2015, par. 2). There are many more reasons than just those two that are contributing to
this issue. To start, being a teenager can be pretty difficult at times, especially when you first
enter high school. This can be a huge change for some people and a big leap from what they
were used to or comfortable with. High school can be a headache within itself; students are
battling every day with peer pressure, extra-curricular activities, academic pressure, and friends.
That is a lot for one person to handle and that is not even all of it. No wonder many teens feel
like their only way out of these situations is to die. “Teens may feel like they have no control to
change their situations or issues” (Tracyn, 2015, par. 2). They do not know how to deal with
these things. “Suicide rates can be different between males and females. Males are four times
more likely than females to commit suicide and women are more likely to have thoughts of
suicide” (Suicide and Suicide Prevention: Risk Factors and Treatment, n.d.). Male suicide rates
are higher because men are more prone to use more reckless approaches to suicide attempts
such as jumping from high buildings, or hanging (Lyness, 2015, par. 7).

Some of the causes that can increase possible suicide or suicidal attempts in adolescents can

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stem from things such as mental health problems, major life changes, being a victim of bullying,
and lack of a social network (Lyness, 2015, par. 10). All these things can have a major impact in
the lives of teens we see every day, especially depression, we see that quite a lot in our
generation. Depression and adolescent suicide are very closely linked together. “Teens
experiencing depression are 12 times more likely to commit suicide than teens not experiencing
depression and greater than half who complete suicide had major depression” (King, K. A., &
Vidourek, R. A., 2012, p. 1). Personally, I know that depression is a real thing. It can negatively
start to impact your life if it is not dealt with properly. One of my close friends struggled with
depression and is still struggling. Depression can alter a person’s view of the world. It can
cause them to sink to a really low point in their life and experience feelings of sadness,
hopelessness, fear, and even possibly regret (The Link Between Depression and Suicide, 2003,
par. 5). Females are more prone to mental illnesses or suicidal thoughts because of their sleep
cycles and hormones that come with the stage of life they are in (The Link Between Depression
and Suicide, 2003, par. 4). A lot of adolescent females suffer from lack of sleep due to school
schedules. Many of them stay up late doing homework then get up early the next morning and
repeat it over again. It can have a significant impact on their lives and possibly contribute to
depression. Depression can last for a long period of time and if it does not stop, a young teen
can be in a lot of danger. They can start to think “thoughts about death, negative thoughts
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about one’s self, and a sense of worthlessness. Depressed thinking can convince someone
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that there is nothing worth living for” (The Link Between Depression and Suicide, 2003, par. 6).
This is a real problem for adolescents and has increased the risk of suicide. A lot of teens do
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not realize when they are in this state of mind that there is a way out, and that suicide is not the
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answer. People do care about them and they can get better over time (The Link Between
Depression and Suicide, 2003, par. 7). I feel that it is time that we start to educate our youth on
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these issues or concerns that they may have. It is ok to not be ok.

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Major life changes can also play a huge part in the increase of suicide such as a parent’s
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divorce, a recent break-up, failing in school, and even having problems with friends (Tracyn,
2015, par. 5). All these things can have a major impact in their lives. Although it might seem like
not a big issue or concern to us, to teens it might feel like their whole world is crumbling into
pieces. They may start to feel like everything that has happened to them is their fault. “Teens
may feel like their feelings are unbearable, and will never end, so the only way to escape is
suicide” (Tracyn, 2015, par. 3).

Bullying can also contribute to this issue as well. It can start at such a young age that people
might not even realize that the things that they are saying can be hurtful, especially when we
use sarcasm. Sometimes statements can go a lot farther than we wanted them to.
Unfortunately, over the years, bullying has increased not just in schools, but online as well. It
has increased over the past few years in our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT)
community more than ever before (Brown, 2010, p. 1). “A public survey indicated that 80
percent of LGBT students report regular harassment by fellow students” (Brown, 2010, p. 1).
These youth are constantly facing battles every day of discrimination in the classroom, the
internet, or physical abuse in the neighbourhood (Brown, 2010, p. 1). It is a big problem and it is
compelling our teens to want to end their lives. It has not only impacted the lives of these youth,
but also their friends, family, and communities. We need to draw more attention to these
situations. No person should want to end his or her life because he/she is different and does not
conform to standards of our society. That is completely unacceptable! What does that say about
our character as a nation? We should be embracing those that are different and help them
flower into the people they are truly meant to be. Everyone deserves to be cherished and
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accepted for who they are (Brown, 2010, p. 2). Adolescents already have a lot of issues to deal
with; they do not need anything else to be added onto their plate. In order to stop this issue of
discrimination on our LGBT youth, we need to educate people. The more a person is educated,
he/she is less likely to be judgmental.

“Research indicates that most teens that are suicidal show warning signs and possess certain
risk factors” (King, K. A., & Vidourek, R. A., 2012, p. 2). Being proactive early on can really
benefit the young life that is at risk. The sooner one can take action in these circumstances, the
more helpful it can be later on for the individual (King, K. A., & Vidourek, R. A., 2012, p. 1).
“Warnings can consist of three major groups. These groups are classified as behavioural
warning signs, verbal warning signs, and stressful life events” (King, K. A., & Vidourek, R. A.,
2012, p. 2). Behavioural warning signs are composed of actions. Some examples of behavioural
warning signs that could be exhibited are a lack of enthusiasm in favourite activities, alcohol or
drug use, and changes in physical appearance (King, K. A., & Vidourek, R. A., 2012, p. 2).
Verbal warning signs can be things that are said to another person or just specific things they
say out loud that isn’t directed at anyone (King, K. A., & Vidourek, R. A., 2012, p. 2). Those
statements can be things like “My family would be better off without me” or “I cannot stand
living alone anymore” (King, K. A., & Vidourek, R. A., 2012, p. 2). Stressful life events is another
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major indicator that things could begin to get bottled up and cause a teen to become isolated. It
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can be small things that people on the outside might not even know about such as a death in
the family, problems with relationships, or even sickness (King, K. A., & Vidourek, R. A., 2012,
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p. 1). I think that it is important for everyone to stay alert to all of these things. If you see or
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know anyone in trouble please be proactive about it. Our society needs to make changes to fix
these issues. It is important for the public to educate not only our youth, but everyone. We need
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to stop the stigma that society is putting on individuals about their mental health. It is not
benefiting anyone; it is just making things worse.
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Suicide is completely unacceptable and is preventable. I think that the society we live in has
grown massively over the years and has changed the way we live. Every single day more teens
are dying from this same issue, suicide. It is absolutely horrific to think that my generation has
caused people to want to take their life. You would think that with all of our technological
advancements that have been made that these would pull us closer together, but in reality it has
driven us farther apart. It is tearing friends, family, and communities apart, but maybe that is the
issue. We live in a generation that if something is broken we just move on to something bigger
or better. We never want to fix the issues. Then when someone asks for help or goes to seek it,
they get judged for being different and get centered out. Our generation has laid one too many
teens in the ground. So many of us young people have lost too many friends. They were too
young to die and had so much to live for. I think that our society needs to continue talking about
these issue that are going on. The more people talk about it, the more it will help decrease the
stigma around it. “It also raises awareness about the warning signs and the roles we can play to
help those battling mental health to get the care they need” (Staples, 2018, par. 3). It almost
seems like this issue of suicide is always hushed up and nobody wants to talk about it.
Whenever it comes up as a topic, people get uncomfortable; and quiet, and do not know what to
say. If we want to make this problem change, we need to talk about it. We need to get
uncomfortable and put everything out on the table. Our communication and social skills need to
increase. It is our job as a society to make sure that all of our people feel comfortable including
our adolescents. They should be able to feel like they are living in a safe environment and can
express the way they are feeling without any backlash. They need to know that it is ok to be
hurting and confused. It is part of growing up, and suicide is not the answer.
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How can society makes changes to fix these issues? I think that our society can and will benefit
from many changes. There are many different strategies and intervention programs that our
communities can benefit from. To start, I think that the first intervention program that our
government should implement is The Suicide Prevention and Depression Awareness Program
(King KA, Strunk CM, Sorter MT, n.d., p. 2). I believe that this program is effective and could
possibly be the beginning of where we first reach success. The majority of adolescents are
enrolled in a local high school. By using this program in the school system, we have the
possibility of reaching more than half the young people in our communities. During these
teachings, the students are given “factual information regarding depression risk factors, suicidal
warning signs, risk factors, and common myths associated with suicide” (King KA, Strunk CM,
Sorter MT, n.d., p. 2). The main purpose of this program is to teach the students how to
distinguish suicidal behaviours in other individuals and in themselves (King KA, Strunk CM,
Sorter MT, n.d., p. 2). While teaching The Suicide Prevention and Depression Awareness
Program, they use real stories about individuals who have died by suicide or have had suicidal
attempts. For me, this method of teaching stands out and I think the reason for that is because
they are sharing real stories from individuals in their age group. It allows the young people to
see that other individuals just like them have suffered through these things. I feel that the
students will really be able to connect with this and start to care more about this issue. I strongly
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believe that this teaching method will have a real impact on their lives and stay with them
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forever. Maybe one day when someone is in a crisis, we will be able to help that individual
because we were educated about it. “About 9 out 10 (87.3%) adolescents felt that this program
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should be offered to all high school students” (King KA, Strunk CM, Sorter MT, n.d., p. 1).
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Secondly, our society can help prevent suicide by building social support networks. “This can
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consist of friends, family, a peer support or support groups, or connections with a cultural or
faith community” (Preventing Suicide, n.d.). I think this is one of the best methods to help teens.
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They need to have a strong support system if they are going to succeed, especially when they
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are going through rough times. Having a support system can be so beneficial; they are places
and people you can go to and seek guidance or help when you need it. Authority figures need to
make sure that their teens are engaging in all these social aspects and have good connections
in all these places. It will help insure the teens’ well-being. “The feeling of social
connectedness is one such protective factor that is directly associated with positive emotional
health” (King, K. A., & Vidourek, R. A., 2012, p. 1).

Another way our society can help prevent suicide is by informing the public of places people can
go when they are need. The government could start by making more commercials and posting
flyers around the cities, so that everyone is always kept informed. Just because we think
everyone knows about places they can go to get help, does not mean that they do. If teens are
experiencing hardships or problems they can use the Canadian Mental Health Association, call
a crisis line, and even 911 as a last resort (Preventing Suicide, n.d.).

Fourth and finally, our communities could benefit from having more access to prevention
treatments such as different kinds of therapies. Some of the therapies that would help our youth
are Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (Suicide and Suicide
Prevention: Risk Factors and Treatment, n.d.). Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is used for
patients battling disorders. This treatment is effective because it helps redirect negative
thoughts and learn new ways of dealing with them, so that they can be used for good (Suicide
and Suicide Prevention: Risk Factors and Treatment, n.d.). Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
is used to help identify negative feelings or possible actions a person might do if they are in
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 distress. This therapy teaches different coping skills and methods to help a person who is
struggling. “DBT has been shown to decrease the prevalence of attempted suicide but has
shown no effect on completed suicides” (Suicide and Suicide Prevention: Risk Factors and
Treatment, n.d.).

In conclusion, teen suicide is a huge issue in the society we live in today. It affects not only
males, but females as well. There are many different causes and issues associated with it. I
strongly believe that if we start to make changes in our communities that things can be different.
Only we have the power to change. It is unfortunate how many people are affected and how it
has really impacted their perspective on life. If we do not start to make changes now, there is no
telling what things could like in years to come. What if we just stand by and watch? What will
happen then? Do you think we could really make a change?

References
1. Aacap. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.aacap.org/aacap/families_and_youth/facts_
or_families/fff- guide/teen-suicide-010.aspx
2. Brown, S. (2010). Sen. Brown Gives First 'It Gets Better' Address on Senate Floor:
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Addresses
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3. Recent Teen Suicides and Bullying; Tells Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
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Youth that 'It Gets Better'. Congressional Documents and Publications.doi:file:///home/ch

ronos/u-b51a80d0267e3a04f59f9af90c941c59eec93d9d/Downloads/ProQuestDocumen
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ts-2019-03-22.pdf
4. King, K. A., Strunk CM, Sorter MT. Preliminary effectiveness of Surviving the Teens®
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Suicide Prevention and Depression Awareness Program on adolescents’ suicidality and

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self-efficacy in performing help-seeking behaviors. J Sch Health, 81(9), 581-590.doi:http

s://journals-scholarsportal-
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info.proxy1.lib.uwo.ca/pdf/00224391/v81i0009/581_peosttasiphb.xml
5. King, K. A., & Vidourek, R. A. (2012). Teen depression and suicide: Effective prevention
and intervention strategies. The Prevention Researcher, 19(4), 15-17.
doi:10.1037/e535022013-005.
6. Lyness, D. (Ed.). (2015, August). About Teen Suicide (for Parents). Retrieved from
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/suicide.html
7. Preventing Suicide. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://cmha.ca/documents/preventing-suicide
8. Skerrett, P. J. (2017, November 28). Suicide often not preceded by warnings. Retrieved
from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/suicide-often-not-preceded-by-
warnings-201209245331
9. Staples, G. B. (2018, June 20). Are suicides really preventable? The statistics aren't
encouraging. Retrieved from https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/health/ct-are-
suicides-preventable-20180620-story.html
10. Suicide and Suicide Prevention: Risk Factors and Treatment. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.psycom.net/depression.central.suicide.html

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