The Dilemma Of Adolescent Suicide Essay Research

The Dilemma Of Adolescent Suicide Essay, Research Paper Adolescent suicide is an increasing problem in today s society. There are many contributing factors to suicide as well as many possible ways of preventing suicide. If the society we live in today is to thrive, adolescent suicide must be drastically reduced. The future of our country is throwing their lives away, often over very trivial issues. A support system must be created so suicidal teens have an outlet in which to share the reasons behind their desire to end their life. Countries around the world have different attitudes regarding suicide. In Japan, suicide is a glorified act. They feel that suicide is an honorable resolution of unsolvable dilemmas (GAP 4). In India, the Brahmins hold suicide as an honorable path

to the afterlife. They would often practice a ritual called Suttee. This practice involves a widow being cremated on the funeral pyre of her husband (GAP 4). In the United States, suicide is an act that is not revered. Although many people accept suicide, it is often thought of as the cowardly way out of a situation. Suicide is the willful act of killing one s own self. Suicide involves no coercion and often comes after a period of depression. Suicide is the route often taken when a person feels too engulfed in his or her problems. In the United States, suicide has been found to be the ninth leading cause of death (Robbins 9). In a 1989 study regarding adolescent suicide, Niall Bolger and his associates found that seventy-five percent of college students interviewed had

considered suicide at some point in their lives (Robbins 10). Suicide may often be mistaken for an accident. The difference between the two is intent. An accident merely occurs, but a suicide is committed on purpose (Robbins 5). Suicide has been around for thousands of years. The first type of suicide has been deemed acceptable to increase the strength of a nation. Examples of this include dying for one s country, dying with one s king, or killing oneself when one has become a burden for the family. Although the bulk of these are not widely acceptable practices today, in the past they were thought to be extremely honorable. The second type of suicide, which one will learn about in this essay, deals with a protest against personal pain or despair (GAP 3). Examples of this type of

suicide include death to escape dishonor, death due to the loss of a loved one, or escape from a physical pain (GAP 3). There are many factors that possibly contribute to an adolescent committing suicide. These include some sort of psychological disturbance, chemical dependence, and questioning one s own sexuality. It has been established that adolescents with psychiatric disorders have a higher rate of suicide than those who do not have psychiatric disorders (Lester 39). It has also been found that suicidal adolescents tend to come from dysfunctional families where they have suffered an immense amount of trauma. These adolescents tend to be extremely depressed and have behavioral problems (Lester 56). Adolescents who have more experiences with physical or sexual abuse were found

to have a higher rate of suicide than those who had experienced neither of these (Lester 56). Adolescents who are suicidal often have lower grade point averages in school. A 1987 study on suicidal middle school students showed that these children felt their academic status was well below what their parents expected (Lester 58). It seems to have been found that the parents of suicidal adolescents have higher rates of marriage problems, job-related problems, and parenting problems. The suicidal children of these types of parents often had the feeling that no one cared for them (Lester 59). Many believe suicide is the result of the inability to cope with one s poor quality of life. Researchers A.F. Henry and J.F. Short found suicide is more likely in people who are unhappy with no