Suicide

Teenage suicide has over time become a major issue in today’s society. Suicide is the intentional act of taking one’s own life and is a serious issue that should be addressed as quickly as possible (Zeinert, 28). Teen suicide has been the topic of various news headlines; yet it still continues to have dramatic effects on today’s youth. In the United States, suicide is currently the eighth leading cause of death for Americans, along with the third leading cause for teenagers aged 15-24 (Dolce, 13). These statistics are startling due to the fact that teen suicide is a very preventable form of death. There are many incorrect common beliefs that come up with the subject of teen suicide. An example of this is that people who commit suicide don’t give any warning signs (Barnes, 23). When someone is thinking about suicide, they almost always show warning signs of being suicidal (Dolce, 30). Along with this, there have also been a number of misconceptions about the leading cause of teenage suicide. Learning about the causes of suicide, different types of mental disorders, and even common warning signs can all be helpful tools in suicide prevention. Bullying is quickly becoming one of the leading causes of teenage suicide. Each year, a recorded 5,000 young men and women between the ages of 15-24 die by suicide (Dolce, 14). In today’s society, it isn’t uncommon to hear news stories explaining how another teenager has committed suicide as a result of bullying. Over the years, bullying has become a major controversy in schools all across the country, and will continue to be an issue in the future unless something is done about it (Zeinert, 8). People are starting to take bullying more seriously than they have in past years, however there is still a lot more that can be done to decrease the amount of bullying that takes place in schools and online. Schools are beginning to teach students the dangers and effects of bullying, along with educating teachers to recognize