Suicide by Kyle Supan

                 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.