Over 800,000 people die due to
suicide every year and there are many more who attempt suicide. Hence, many
millions of people are affected or experience suicide bereavement every year.
Suicide occurs throughout the lifespan and was the second leading cause of
death among 15-29 year olds globally in 2012. Suicide is a global phenomenon in
all regions of the world; in fact, 75% of global suicide occurred in low- and
middle-income countries in 2012. Suicide accounted for 1.4% of all deaths worldwide,
making it the 15th leading cause of death in 2012. Effective and evidence-based
interventions can be implemented at population, sub-population and individual
levels to prevent suicide and suicide attempts.
Teens commit suicide because
they feel extremely lonely, desperate and helpless. Perhaps they had a problem
for which they felt there was no solution and that there was no one to help
them. Suicidal teens usually suffer from major depression which makes them have
a dark and gloomy mindset. Depressed teens usually give warning signs about
their suicidal thoughts. World Health Organization states that in the last
forty-five years the suicide rates have risen by 60% worldwide and is one of
the leading causes of death in teenagers and basically people between the ages
of fifteen to forty-five. They also mention that suicide is just the result of
one problem but a combination of complex socioeconomic, personal and
interpersonal situations. They have reported that nearly 30% of all suicides
occur in India and China.
In times parents are creating
comprehensive comparisons from another person, especially negative ones, that’d
feel like they’ve lost the purpose of living and loses self-actualization and
therefore depresses them socially. The kinds of problems that teenagers face
may be different from those of adults, but the problems are very real to the
teens who are facing them. Teenagers face the pressures of trying fit in
socially, to perform academically, and to act responsibly. Teens are given more
freedom which means more responsibility that they are sometimes not ready to
handle. If a teen is facing a problem and has nobody to talk to, they may feel
neglected, unwanted, and alone. If a teen continues to encounter their problems
alone, they may become overwhelmed and think that suicide is the only way out.A
1987 study by Wodarski and Harris linked the increase in suicides in America to
the proliferation of single-parent households. And a 1988 study of 752 families
found that youths who attempted suicide differed little in terms of age,
income, race and religion, but were "more likely to live in non-intact
family settings." Recently a Flinders University professor of social
sciences reported that research shows a very close link between suicidal
behavior and parent-child relationships. Psychologists from the University of
Leiden conducted a study of nearly 14,000 Dutch adolescents between the ages of
12 to 19. They found that slightly more than 10 per cent of the adolescents
living in non-intact families reported having attempted suicide, compared to
5.3 per cent of peers living in intact families.
Broken families are increasing in counts.
Teens who are in the hands of single parents or separated couples have high
tendency of being emotionally unhealthy thus make them feel like they are not
as gifted as others are in their lives. And consider their lives a waste.
Children from broken homes are more likely to be plagued by suicidal thoughts
in later life than those with a more stable past, research shows. The study of
thousands of adults also found that boys are more profoundly affected by seeing
their parents’ marriage crumble than girls. The Canadian researchers questioned
6,647 men and women, including almost 700 who had been under the age of 18 when
their parents divorced. This revealed the men from broken homes to be three
times as likely to have thought seriously about suicide as those whose parents
had stayed together. The link was strongest in men who had witnessed the
effects of unemployment, violence and drug addiction as they grew up. But even
those without such a troubled past were twice as likely to have suicidal
thoughts at some point in their lives, if their parents had divorced. Lead
researcher Esme Fuller-Thomson, of the University of Toronto, said: ‘The
association between parental divorce and suicidal thoughts in men was
unexpectedly strong, even when we adjusted for other childhood and adult
stressors, socioeconomic status, depression and anxiety.
If you see mild warning signs, asking
your teen if he or she is depressed or thinking about suicide can be helpful.
Such questions filled with love and concern will provide assurance that you
care and will give them the chance to talk about their problems. Get them to
commit to you that if they ever do have those thoughts, they'll let you or
someone else know. If your teen doesn't
feel comfortable talking with you, suggest a more neutral person, such as
another relative, a counselor, a pastor, a coach, or your child's doctor. It's
important to keep the lines of communication open and express your concern,
support, and love. If your teen confides in you their loss of hope or control
of their life, show that you take those concerns seriously. It's important not
to minimize, mock or discount what your teen is going through, as this can
increase his or her sense of hopelessness.
