Major confusion: Why?

[jackson17]

Hope this isn't to controversial.

Ok so; so far every year in my high school, someone has committed suicide. It seems to be a growing trend among teenagers (yes, I am one). My neighbor and my teammate from soccer just did it last week. I don't really understand why people do this. Its a permanent solution to a temporary problem. The thing is, do people agree with me that it is a rising trend? Or in my area is it just happening a lot.

My school isn't exactly the biggest either, its got 1000 people total (give or take). But to have four people in four years is a lot to me. What do you guys think? Reasons? The thinking behind it? I can't just wrap my head around it.

Hopefully you older wiser people can shed some light.

[Northernguy]

There may have been many other issues that you are not aware of.
Its too bad that is happens but peoples problems often get overlooked until its too late.Teens especially.
Sorry to hear about your friend.

[Rue]

That is a lot...but probably not uncommon. Two kids in my last year of high school killed themselves (both boys)...several years ago a very pretty girl in the neighbourhood killed herself (apparently because her boyfriend dumped her)...

When you're young and depressed two things seem to happen:

1. It feels like the end of the world - even when everyone else recognizes your issues as a small, temporary glitch (so you don't get sympathy)...you don't believe them - in your opinion your world is OVER (teenage melodrama).

2. Teenagers think they'll live forever - so I have a suspician that they think they'll 'wake up' from a suicide. They are also risk takers - so the thought of packing it in isn't as traumatic as it is for older people who are more scared to die...

And it's not just teenagers. One of the neighbourhood Dads killed himself this summer...and a few years ago one of the Moms did...:scry:

Keep in mind to - there's a mental health component to all this (it's not just situational). Might run in families as well.

[tanks4thememories]

Hope this isn't to controversial.

Ok so; so far every year in my high school, someone has committed suicide. It seems to be a growing trend among teenagers (yes, I am one). My neighbor and my teammate from soccer just did it last week. I don't really understand why people do this. Its a permanent solution to a temporary problem. The thing is, do people agree with me that it is a rising trend? Or in my area is it just happening a lot.

My school isn't exactly the biggest either, its got 1000 people total (give or take). But to have four people in four years is a lot to me. What do you guys think? Reasons? The thinking behind it? I can't just wrap my head around it.

Hopefully you older wiser people can shed some light.

Sorry to hear bout your neighbor/teammate. I haven't really done much research on the subject so I really cant say if its a rising trend or not. I can say the world is a lot smaller now (due to mass media) and a lot of things that used to be swept under the rug or just not talked about, now instantly bounce around the whole world for years before being forgotten. So I personally think a lot of things that appear to be "on the rise" are actually just more accurately diagnosed, or more in the lime light.

Although news travels fast and wide in the new millennium I agree with "Northernguy" that you rarely get the true details of why. You sound like you got a good head on your shoulders I like what you said "I don't really understand why people do this. Its a permanent solution to a temporary problem" You are doing a good thing by talking about it, I suggest you also talk about it with people closer to you. Be strong, don't be afraid to talk to your: parents, family elders, and maybe school councilors about the subject and how it makes you feel. I like to think "The actual facts aren't as important, as how they make us feel and what we do with those feelings...:)"

PS I see you have a Birchir. What kind? How big is it? I have a Polypterus endlicheri endlicheri. They are a very fun species.

[Lukenasia]

Its always very sad when it happens, I remember one of my friends commited suicide when I was back in school several years ago, never suspected it.

Unfortunately with teenagers is that as they are full of hormones for some it makes them aggresive and others it makes them emotional, and unfortunately teenagers aren't the nicest of people, though bullying is an everyday thing in schools, due to the more sensitive emotions the impact of being bullied by others affects them more than others.

Back those many years ago I was also a simmilar way, being bullied alot because I was different, and times I had thought about it however was always clear to me that it would only create problems for those around me.

I'm not sure how different the USA system is from our UK but that was what its like here.

Sorry about your friend though :scry:

[Taurus]

jackson17

My friend, you should be talking these issues over with a qualified Therapist. Does your school provide counseling for you and other students when things like this happen? If they don't, they should be. My advise to you would be to seek out a qualified Therapist.

There are many reasons why young people committ suicide. Reasons that none of us here on this forum fully understand. :ssmile:

[jackson17]

Taurus, they do but I'm just curious on what everyone else thought really. I have my beliefs and such of why but still don't get why anyone else would, but how well do we know what anyone would really do anyway...right?

I was just curious at what people thought and to see if it was ''rising'' like I feel it is.

And tanks4thememories, it was a snegal bichir, but my tank is down so I don't have it. They are awsome animals those I will say

[korith]

Back when I was in high school, we had one kid who did that in his final year. Came as a huge shock to everyone, I don't think anyone really found out what was going on with him, or why he did it in the end.

Trend? no idea. You just have to hope and have faith that people have others they can turn to when they are troubled.

[frank_zappa]

jackson, im really sorry to hear about your neighbor/teammate. i do not know if there is a trend. i do think that kids today face issues that i never had to growing up. i graduated high school in 1994 and we did not really have or at least we didnt yet use the internet all that much, and there were no social networking sites like facebook/myspace. it used to be that a kid could go home and have a bit of a reprieve from whatever they were going through. now, if a kid is being picked on, it no longer necessarily ends when he/she goes home. kids are really mean to each other and the internet has given them a new weapon to use against each other. i have heard several stories of young people killing themselves after being harassed online. this is certainly a trend that has grown since i was in school, because it simply did not exist before.

jackson, you should check out the movie "heathers". it is exactly about what you are asking, about suicide being a trend. it is a dark comedy.

i hope that you are dealing with this ok. it is not a bad idea for you to talk with a therapist about it. you probably should. when i was in my early 20s a friend from h.s. was murdered and i sortve walled it off for a long time and after a while i was having recurring nightmares and was stressed all the time; it was bad. that stuff really catches up with you if you do not address it. that is my advice, talk it through as much as you need to, and utilize the counselors at your school.

[Mith]

Despair is a powerful thing. Add juvenile unstable emotions and u have a recipe for a bad situation.

[annageckos]

Nobody but the person that did it knows why, and even they don't always know. Sometimes it is a cry for help or to get attention. I think a lot of them do not think they will die? I was a depressed teen and still fight depression. But I also have a rational side. My sister was cutting and burning herself, and a lot of kids where doing it, it was 'cool' to hurt yourself and be depressed. The thing to do. I don't get it. I really do think that alot of times it is becuase they think it will make them 'cool' to attemp doing it. You see it happening with actors, and like it or not, they have a big influence on not just the youth, but on all of siociety.

[MCHRKiller]

Suicide among teens is very common mostly due to the crazy changes happening in a teen's body in combination to newfound social pressures, pressures about the future and etc. Depression in alot of teens can occur from the rapid changes biologically as well as the increasing need for social acceptance. I do hate to say it but, in alot of times our media immortilizes people who commit suicide. There have been several people to kill themselves during online video chats in the last few years, alot of teens have recorded their suicides recently. So if your a person who is considering suicide, your depressed over not fitting in or ever achieving anything...what better way to be remembered? I also think that alot of the time we are kind of numb to the real consequence of suicide.

I do question if your school has such a high suicide rate, why your counselor isn't holding weekly group therapy sessions on suicide prevention and/or depression. The school that I work at has had 2 kids in the last 5 years commit suicide, not very high but its a small school. So weekly we have an afterschool awareness group, it is suprisingly alot more benefitial to some of the kids that attend than coming to see me individually.

The thing with a depressed person is, when they are at their lowest they arnt more likely to commit suicide...its when they start to feel better they need increased attention from friends and family. You see at the bottom of the depression pit most people feel to low to take action, when they start to feel better they never want to feel that bad again and are more likely to take action.

Edit: It is also very important to treat all occurances a person may mention committing suicide as serious, even if you may suspect it may be for attention(which sometimes it is). A life is still at risk, and I have actually had a client attempt suicide a couple years ago when I interned at a domestic violence shelter. She threatened to kill herself which she did quite frequently, the shelter manager didnt do anything she flat out told her she wouldnt do it, that night the woman ate a bottle of asprin and slashed her wrists up to the point she has nicked one of the bones in her arm. She fortunatly did not suceed, but the emts said another hour laying there and she may have.

[Taurus]

Killer, I'm a bit relieved that this thread caught your eye. My thoughts may have been expressed a bit off key for younger ears. :ssmile: