Suicide in Children and Teens
On average, one suicide occurs every 17 minutes and is the 3rd leading cause of death among Americans aged 15-24. The big stereotype among teens is being “Emo” and”Scene”. This stereotype includes heavy metal rock music, poufy hair, dark clothes and make-up, and even self-mutilation and suicidal thoughts and actions. Teen is becoming a trend through stereotypes and we should take immediate action to prevent it. 1. 3% of all deaths are suicide, many of those are teens. Everyday, six teens commit suicide. Teen suicide is nearly 4 times more common today than it was three decades ago. ” Says Doctor Janet Grossman, a suicide expert. Five to ten percent of teens at any one time suffer from depression and if not properly treated, is detrimental and can lead to suicide in 15% of those teens. Children and teens are the future of our world and no one should feel so terrible about life and that there is no other option but death, that they would kill themselves. Many times after a suicide occurs, another occurs within close proximity to the first.
Suicide not only has effect on the person, but the ones around him or her as well. They tend to feel guilty and helpless, as if it were all their fault, and they too feel depressed and suicidal; Soon enough they kill themselves. When two teens decide to bring their lives to a tragic end together, the question why is twice as hard to answer. This is what happened with 14 year old Christian Davila and 13 year old Maryling Flores. They were 2 love-struck 8th graders that “Couldn’t live without each other” as stated in their suicide notes.
Maryling’s parents told her that she was too young to date Christian, and her and Christian defied them. They walked into the ocean together to drown. This devastating loss left friends, family, and strangers mourning for them, asking the question why. It’s a vicious cycle that needs to be stopped. Others argue that it is the persons right to live or die, that teens are way to over dramatic, and that we will soon get over it. They believe this because teens hormones are raging and we feel like we need to establish ndependence; but if this feeling of wanting to die were just drama and craving attention, teens would not be taking action on these feelings as well as six teens killing themselves on a daily basis. Suicide would not be the 5th leading cause of death for 5 to 14 year olds and it would not occur every two hours and 12 minutes for 15 to 24 year olds. Imagine what our world would be if Emo and Scene stereotypes were no longer only stereotypes, but the face and future of our world. Break out of that stereotype and think for your self. What do you want for your LIFE, not your DEATH?
