The purpose of this report is to expand on the fact that suicide is a leading cause of death among teenagers. It will also answer the research questions: What causes teens to commit suicide? What affect suicide has on the teenager’s family and the community? What can be done to prevent teenagers from committing suicide?
By examining a range of statistics, mental health websites and personal stories of people who have lost someone to suicide, this report outlines the main factors, explains the effects of suicide and also addresses multiple questions regarding this subject. This report will dissect what causes teen to commit suicide, what effect it has on their family and the community and what can be done to prevent suicide attempts.
2.0 Causes of teen suicide
There are many different elements that can cause teenagers to choose to commit suicide. Elements such as psychiatric and mental illnesses, losing hope or the will to live or having significant losses in their lives such as the death of a loved one or the loss of a relationship and alcohol and drug abuse take significant tolls on teens lives and can push them towards the unforgiving path of suicidal thoughts and actions.
i..Psychiatric and mental illness
People with psychiatric and mental illnesses such as depression and bipolar disorder are at high risk for suicide attempts. It is estimated, according to stop a suicide©, that people with mood disorders are 12 to 20 times more likely to commit suicide than people without a mood disorder. Mood disorders, especially those in relation with depression are the most commonly diagnosed mental illness linked to suicide deaths. Depression is caused by chemical imbalances in the brain which can lead to hopelessness, a lack of concern towards life, losing hope and the will to live. Research has shown that almost half of 14 to 15 year olds have said they’ve experienced symptoms of depression, making the teenage years all the more difficult.