One of the most important issues facing teens in the U. Each year thousands of teens attempt suicide and all too many succeed. In fact a suicide is attempted every 80 seconds and one succeeds every 100 minutes (Dolce 13). Teen suicide is becoming an epidemic that cannot be ignored.
Many people ask why teens are more susceptible to suicide. Dr. Thomas Pentz, a psychologist at Sheppard Pratt Hospital in Baltimore believes that he has a possible explanation. He stated, "They get locked in the present, and it's hard for them to imagine things will get better. It's hard for them to trust time" (Marbelle 3E). Many suicides are caused by some traumatic experience such as breaking up with a boy or girlfriend, not getting into a desired school, or losing an important sporting event. The stress related to these things may explain the increase in the suicide rate over the last 25 years (Elkind 111).
Circumstances that predispose a person to consider or commit suicide are known as risk factors. There are two types of risk factors: psychological and biological. Risk factors can range from childhood difficulties to personal problems to chemical imbalances (Dolce 29).
Psychological risk factors are the more widely known of the two types. Domestic stress stemming from a broken home is a major psychological risk factor. Teens are vulnerable because they may not be able to deal with divorce, stepparents, and stepsiblings. Early traumas such as abuse can cause feelings of rejection, deprivation, and/or not being loved can cause feelings of anger and resentment that can lead to destructive behavior (Dolce 30).
Children of parents suffering from depression or substance abuse or have parents that have attempted suicide are more likely to attempt suicide. In fact 6.5 percent of children of depressed parents have exhibited suicidal behavior. Moreover, 90 percent of suicidal young people felt tat their families didn't understand them, and two-thirds of teens who commit suicide had reportedly been on bad terms with their families (Dolce 30).
