I have not seen any scientific numbers to prove that teen suicide is any worse or better than what it was say 20 years ago.

What is different thought is the immediate and connected nature of information reporting which certainly adds to the perception of a specific type of an event happening more when in reality it could just be that their is more reporting about that event.

I can list quite a few reasons why this may be happening.

-Peer Pressure
-Bullying
-Cyber Bullying
-Bad Influence from Mass Media
-Fear of Coming out or Fear of not being Accepted.
-Economic Situation/Situation at home, etc

That's just some to name a few. Now it's just sad to see a young person with so much potential just off themselves.

My girlfriend had it real hard at school, she got bullied because she was smart and pretty, other girls were jealous, so they bullied her and spread rumors - It ruined her whole time in High School to be honest. The effects of been bullied made her more reserved, panicky and a worrier. She says if social media was around when she was going through this, she would of struggled more and god knows what she may have done - bullying is a real epidemic on social networking, a real issue that needs to be addressed - And I'm not talking about intrusive censoring, just more awareness and tougher punishments

Such a sad story, rest in peace.

Originally posted by opethPA
I have not seen any scientific numbers to prove that teen suicide is any worse or better than what it was say 20 years ago.

Isn't suicide the #1 killer of people between 18-25?

Maybe it's just really standing out to me because there are so many occurring in my local area in such a short time span.
I definitely agree that the cyber bullying is way out of hand. Back in the 80's we didn't have a computer to hide behind and making it so easy to spread rumors.

it all goes back to the parents. bullys have been around forever, as well as peer presure. what is happening is a lack of parenting. people say we live in an evil world but whom has made it that way?

another problem is these fing pills they hand out like candy.

everyone wants to pass the buck, thats the real problem. the way i see it if someone wants to off themselfs, so be it. the world is over croweded as it is.

Originally posted by DocHolidaze
it all goes back to the parents. bullys have been around forever, as well as peer presure. what is happening is a lack of parenting.

I'm drawn to that way of thinking as well, or more specifically a lack of true communication between parent and child.

I made a genuine attempt at suicide many years ago aged 15. It was no cry for help, I had my goodbye letter in my pocket, walked up the local mountain far enough that if I changed my mind I couldn't get back, and took 300 painkillers washed down with whisky. When the substances kicked in and I could no longer stand up, I changed my mind, started sobbing, then passed out.
12 hours or so later I woke up in a cold early morning mist, disorientated, dizzy with blurred vision and stumbled my way back down the mountain. It was only when I saw people who noticed my crazy condition that I realised I was actually still alive.

I wanted out because I felt absolutely lonely and misunderstood by anyone who loved me. In fact, I didn't even feel loved at all. I couldn't talk to my parents, or rather, they couldn't talk to me unless it involved shouting and criticising me as a person, the emotional pain at that point in my life was deep enough for me to try to end it.

Many years later after being a 16yr old homeless runaway, my life is a beautiful experience filled with the love of many people - in that sense I am rich. I have my own late teen son and our relationship is filled with deep discussion about our feelings, life and everything. I have passionately made efforts to make our relationship one of trust and understanding so he never feels in a lost and hopeless position as I did.

He is unafraid to discuss anything with me when it's us as one to one because he knows he can absolutely trust that my thoughts and motivation is based solely on his happiness in getting through life. He knows my experiences and knows I never want him to feel there is no way out of anything. He's never been in trouble but knows I'll help him fix a situation first then advise after the event - my mobile number is the one he'll give to police if he ever makes a mistake as a testosterone fuelled teenager - although to be fair, I'd be really surprised if I ever get the call.

I help him with his homework and have done throughout his schooling, not just "have you done your work?" more "got anything you're struggling with and want a hand for an hour?" - he won his place into the selective school he's in after difficult exams at age 11, it was what he wanted and it was my job to give him all the help I could.

We're 'close friends' on Facebook, with no censoring of each others viewing privileges, so if something comes up on the newsfeed I'll often send him a private message with a carefully worded suggested line to stab back at anyone who needs it. We talk about everything from girls to rugby and it is a relationship where we comfortably discuss sex, drugs, and all the other challenges life throws up for young people, and importantly he knows that my life experience is real and always honest where advice is concerned.

A few weeks ago he told me that his friends are jealous and wish they had the same relationship with their dads. I was surprised because at the school he's in, most of the other dads are helicopter pilots, doctors, military officers, lawyers and the like, whereas I'm a scruffy builder with a used car. It turns out that all his friends feel sidelined by their dads and have a relationship which is almost staged and unreal, certainly not honest or a safe place to share emotions.

My lad is not poor financially, as I make sure he gets whichever gadget or whatever he needs to keep up with peer pressure, but his life is rich in emotion, understanding, honesty, love, and as importantly, my actual time and effort to listen to him.

I am not unique and it is not a difficult thing to do, but I think too many parents make up lame first world excuses to explain away their poor relationships with their kids - it takes effort, but the reward is worth more than anything I can think of in life - a happy young person who is not secretly considering suicide.

Someone very close to me attempted twice at 14 years old.
The mother tried so hard to get help, but the school brushed the bullying aside. The mother also had to limit internet and television because not only was the bullying problem unbearable, but the news and lamestream media blowing things out of proportion really got to the poor kid.
It was the mother's hard work and patience that helped most. She admitted once that it was difficult to watch everything her daughter did, but it was worth it.
The girl got better and is now directing her life toward a youth counselor career.

The bullying in her town was so bad last year that 8 young people made a suicide pact and succeeded.

Sad to say that many people have a quick answer.. "ahh toughen up", but how do you really do that when everything you're exposed to seems to be designed to make you wallow in your problems?

I get absolutely incensed when i hear of teenage suicides-because so many cases are caused by BULLYING.Maybe the UN should make themselves useful and launch a global campaign against BULLYING-so these pieces of feces who make other(usually decent,good) childrens' lives a misery to the point where they commit suicide can be shown up for what they are.

And i do not for one second fall for the line:"But they bully because of unhappy circumstances" Bull#e!!!!!!!!!!

I was an abused child,a bitterly unhappy,extremely angry child and teen.I felt alienated from the rest of the human race since i was a snotnosed lil kid-and yet i NEVER,NEVER ,not even once,took my misery out on another.I shall never go into details of my abuse here,or on any site,but believe me-if i could bear that much hostility and sadness in me,feelings of being worth NOTHING,disconnect from the entire species-and refrain from taking it out on other kids-BLOODYWELL ANYONE CAN.ANY AND EVERY ONE.
I say this because i would never expect from others what i can or will not do myself-really,being in pain yourself is NO excuse to take it out on other kids-and i felt this way being basically raised without a father,and by an extremely abusive,mentally disturbed mother and her two adult sons,a drug addict and a violent alcoholic.THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR BULLYING.