LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Teenage Suicide: Teenagers
built 234 days ago
Teenage suicide is a major health problem. The teen years can be very difficult, and for many teenagers normal problems can seem insurmountable. This can lead to depression and/or use of drugs, which can result in suicide. The incidence of suicide among adolescents has nearly tripled since the 1980s. The best way to prevent suicide is through early recognition and intervention. More teenagers die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia and influenza as well as chronic lung disease combined.
Source:
Teenage suicide is the self-killing of a teenager. Although the suicide rate among youth significantly decreased in the mid-1990s, suicide deaths in the United States remain high in the 15 to 24 age group with 3,971 suicides in 2001 and over 132,000 suicide attempts in 2002, making it the third leading cause of death for those aged 15 to 24.[1]. In the United Kingdom, the suicide rate for males between 15 and 24 has risen consistently since 1989, while that for females in the same age group has remained largely static.[2] However, given the overall decline in the suicide rate in the UK, the rise in suicide amongst the 15-24 male population has been a considerable cause for concern. [3] More preventive measures have been taken in the last ten years, including increased understanding of the risk factors and causes and spreading information to schools and parents.
Source:
While the increase in suicides has levelled out in recent years, the number of "cluster suicides" is on the increase and has served to focus public attention on teenage suicide in Canada. In Lethbridge, Alberta, three youths committed suicide within three months of each other and a similar tragedy occurred in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. While some suspected Satanic cult influences in the Lethbridge case, there has been no substantial evidence of this. Teenagers themselves say media focus on the possible influence of cults, heavy metal music or music videos are just attempts by adults to relieve their own feelings of guilt and to avoid listening to the real problems of teens. While reasons for the increase in cluster suicides are inconclusive, it is safe to say that young people who do not find solutions to their problems from family, doctors or teachers, look to their peers for assistance.
Source:
TEXT: The teenage suicide rate has risen to crisis proportions over the past 20 years. Between 1957 and 1975, the rate of suicide among 15 to 24 year olds tripled; among Native American adolescents, the suicide rate increased 1000% (TEENAGERS IN CRISIS, l983). It is estimated that 5,000 to 6,000 teenagers kill themselves each year, and at least ten times that many attempt to do so. Because many suicide attempts go unreported or are reported as accidents, the estimated number may be as high as 500,000 per year. While females attempt suicide more often than males, at a rate of 4:1, males "succeed" more often, at the same rate (SUICIDE AMONG SCHOOL AGE YOUTH, l984).
Source:
The general practitioner is often the physician who has to confirm the death of a suicide victim and who at an early stage will meet the family, friends, and others involved in the aftermath of a teenager suicide. This position makes the general practitioner suitable to make contacts for initiation of postventive actions in the stricken community and the general practitioner should ... be used as a resource concerning primary prevention of suicide. The World Health Organization has identified general practitioners as a particularly relevant group to the prevention of suicide [11]. A Danish study on contacts with the health care system prior to suicide showed that almost 70% of those who had committed suicide had been in contact with their general practitioner during the last month before their suicide [30]. This shows the potential of the general practitioner as a key person in suicide prevention, but also indicates the difficulties in identifying individuals at risk. In some parts of Sweden, e.g., the southern parts of Lapland, psychiatrists from the local hospital visits primary care centres on regular basis.
Source:
One of the first steps to teen suicide prevention is to recognize suicidal behaviors in teenagers. It is important to be involved in a teenager’s life, so that you can recognize when behavior seems a little abnormal and prone to teen depression and/or teen suicide. Realizing that teenagers have a lot of stress on them today can help you understand that it may seem difficult for teens to cope with all of the life and hormonal changes they are going to. Be on the lookout for behavior that indicates a pattern of suicidal thoughts and feelings, including the following:
Source:
MORE ABOUT
Teenagers