Teenage suicide
Teenage suicideTeenage Suicide
Thesis: I intend to inform those who read my report about the subject teenage suicide.
What really is the definition of suicide? Suicide is a Latin word that means self killing. Suicides also means the taking of one's own life in a deliberate manner. Suicide may be compulsory, usually as an alternative to death at the hands of others. Or, it is thought to be committed for personal motives; depending on the time and place, it can be thought of as a heroic deed or it can be condemned by religious and civil authorities(Columbia).
Why do teenagers commit suicide? According to this poem written by a teenage suicide victim it is because he is in pain.
I find myself deep in a hole of sorrow.
Too far to bother,
Too far to try,
Too far to get out.
So I just wait here and die.
(Hunter) Why are teenagers in pain? "There are too many problems for the modern teenager to deal with. Growing up as a teen today is ten times more difficult than it was just five years ago. As our society ‘progresses'.... more and more responsibility is being placed on teens. We have become a very selfish society, and this causes pressure on the weakest link of our society....the teens (DeKonty)." Teens are also in pain because of the growing separation between parents and their children. "Twenty five years ago, the ‘in' thing to do was to live your life for your kids.
Now...the ‘in' thing to do is balance a job and become successful while bringing up your kids. If we are not careful about this trend...soon kids will be a bother rather than a joy. This mentality has caused the teens of today to feel that they need to share their time with their parent's job or jobs. They for the most part, are not comfortable sharing their problems with their parents. The largest number of teenage suicides are in the upper class homes where there is so much pressure to preform and no outlet to discuss their problems (DeKonty)." When teens cannot discuss their problems with their parents, they will turn to other teens for help. But what happens to the highly sensitive information that they do not feel they can trust their friends with? They hold it all inside until they feel that the only way to get rid of the pain is to commit suicide.
Are gay teenagers at a higher risk? According to a survey did at a Minnesota public school Gay/bisexual males are 24 percent more likely to commit suicide than straight males. Also Gay/bisexual females are 6 percent more likely to commit suicide than straight females. Gay children are two to three times more likely to attempt suicide then straight kids (Sadasivan and Hanson).
So why are gay teenagers at a higher risk? "Teenage boys are more susceptible to antigay peer pressure than girls. The issue of gender nonconformity...
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