(Stone 1991).
It hasn't been until recently that Americans have begun to discuss the issue of suicide. This changed started in the 1970's with the growing problem of adolescent suicide. (Stone 1991) The suicide rate for adolescents age 15 to 24 tripled between 1958 and 1978. More than five thousand young adults kill them selves each year. (Stone 1991) Suicide is now the third leading cause of death from age fifteen to nineteen and the second leading cause for college students and those from twenty to twenty-four. (Flanders 1991) It is believed that teenagers attempt suicide roughly ten times more frequently than adults. (Stone 1991) According to the United States National Data that was released in September 1991, about 1 million teens attempt suicide each year, of which as estimated 276, 000 sustained injuries enough to require medical care. (Stone 1991) About four times more girls than boys make attempts at suicide, but boys are more successful at completing the task. (Stone 1991) Although black youths have historically had lower suicide rates than have whites, during the period 1980 to 1995, the suicide rates increased 233% for blacks 10 to 14 years old compared with 120% increase for whites. (Borowsky 2001).
It has been proposed that the rise in suicidal behavior among teenage boys results from increased availability of firearms and increased substance abuse in the youth population (Shaffer, 1996). However, although the rate of suicide by firearms increased more than suicide by other methods suicide rates also increased markedly in many other countries in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, where suicide by firearms is rare. (Shaffer, 1996).
Several factors predict suicide for adolescents. The cross cutting risk factors included a previous suicide attempt, violence victimization, alcohol use, marijuana use, and school problems. (Borowsky 2001) Additionally, for girls, somatic symptoms, having a friend attempt or complete suicide, other illicit drug use, and a history of mental health treatment predicted attempting suicide for black, Hispanic, and white youth.
