Teenage Suicides: An Epidemic
Suicide: Third Leading Cause of Teen Deaths
Because of the wonderful response I got to my series during April on Autism, I want to share information with you about another major issue with our children.
It’s already May, so there is very little likelihood that public schools will get straightened-out in the next 30 days.
However, summer is coming and that means many hours out of school for youngsters of all ages. Those hours can be productive or non-productive, and even deadly. So, starting tomorrow, I’ll be beginning a series on teenage suicide - the THIRD leading cause of teen deaths.
During the series, I’ll be bringing you the latest statistics on suicide, signs and symptoms to look for, and some preventative measures. The series will include teen depression and teen substance abuse, and I will conclude with as much information as I can find for you about resources for help, just in case you know, and recognize, a child or teen at risk.
I hope you’ll join me for the series about a deadly epidemic among our youth - Teen Suicides!
See you tomorrow!
Filed under: Education News
This is such a sad phenomena. It is heart breaking to think of the despair young people go through to contemplate such a thing and to have to cope with that as a parent, just does not bear thinking about. But it happens and it should be stopped. By your bringing it to notice in your blog, is a positive step.
Yes, AnneMarie,
Suicide is tragic at all ages, but it is heartbreaking to see a young life ’snuffed-out’ before they’ve really had a chance to live. I can only imagine the horror of losing a child to suicide. That’s why I want all of us to learn what to look for in order to prevent this.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment!
I personally think that psychiatric medication is one of the major factors in this epidemic. You probably have noticed the new mandatory black box labels that came out in 2007 warning of suicide as a side effect.
I have yet to see a school shooting where the child was not on some form of psychiatric medication or another.
I think the drug companies are all to ready to make a profit and people (parents) are much to ready to not confront the actual problem and give their kids drugs. if a bully is picking on you at school and you are depressed no amount of medication is going to make the bully go away. There are many things in life like this that just need to be handled and confronted and not just covered up with happy pills.
http://www.thegluckmethod.com
Dear Eric,
Your response is very accurate. Between drug companies making profits with ‘happy pills’ and parents who don’t know how to handle crises, we need to make major changes in our society.
I’d like to refer you to three of my former posts that address the issue.
Bipolar-disorder-revisited - http://tinyurl.com/59532w
Stop-school-violence - http://tinyurl.com/5m6fzm
Kids-and-guns - http://tinyurl.com/2kbp8p
We need to become active in combating these terrible problems in education and in society at large.
Thank you for your comment,
Brennan