14 Reasons Teens See Suicide As The Answer To Their Problems
03September

14 Reasons Teens See Suicide As The Answer To Their Problems

Written by Craig RogersPosted on in Section Embracing Our Uniqueness

 

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1 - Therapy is stigmatized - A teen who is feeling depressed and needs help will still often fail to seek out assistance due to the cultural stigma attached to therapy. Because they feel like they will be labeled and judged by getting help, teens who are struggling often begin to feel hopeless and start to consider the possibility of suicide.

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2 - It seems like an easy solution - The problems that teens face are difficult, and often don't have an easy solution even if help is sought out. In some situations, this can lead to individuals starting to see suicide as an easier alternative to actually dealing with problems that feel insurmountable.

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3 - The price associated with professional help - With limited facilities and extremely high prices, the sad fact is that good mental healthcare is out of reach for many families. When a teen needs this kind of help and it isn't forthcoming, suicide is often the result.

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4 - It's glorified by certain subcultures - During middle or high school, teens who are seeking to establish their identity may begin to take part in subcultures that idealize suicide. Some of the most notable of these include emos and goths.

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5 - Not understanding that their life can improve after high school - Teens are often very focused on what is going on in their life right now and will fail consider how things will change in future. It is important for these teens to realize that even if things are bad now, they will likely greatly improve as they get older.

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6 - Inability of schools to deal with bullying - Teens who are being physically and mentally harassed in school are often those who turn to suicide. This makes it essential for schools to act to prevent this behavior but the actions they take are often minimal and not effective.

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7 - Over use of prescriptions to deal with mental health issues - While medications can be helpful in many situations, therapy is often the more important part of long-term improvement. In some cases, teens are over medicated and fail to get the real help they need.

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8 - Lack of available resources - Teens may fail to get the initial help necessary to understand what they are dealing with. It often takes resources like involved school counselors to recognize that help is necessary.

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9 - Uninvolved parents - When teens are struggling and potentially considering suicide, it is often up to the parents to intervene. Teens may be embarrassed by their issues and unsure where to turn for help, so parents must be active in seeking out the right assistance.

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10 - Suicide is common in the media - Suicide is common on both television and in the movies. These frequent depictions of suicide make teens who are struggling more likely to consider it.

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11 - Hormonal imbalances - Because teen's bodies are still developing, they are more susceptible to disorders caused by hormonal imbalances. These include issues like bipolar disorder and depression.

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12 - Problems at home - When a teen doesn't have strong family support, mental health problems that could lead to suicide become even worse. A very large number of teen suicides take place in families that are experiencing serious problems.

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13 - Limited life experience - Teens going through a tough time may feel like they have nothing to live for. This is a short sighted perspective, but is difficult to avoid for some teens as they have very limited life experience.

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14 - Lack of improvement after treatment - Depression and other problems that often cause suicide are difficult to deal with and may not rapidly improve even after getting help. It is important to stick with therapy and remain committed to recovery, but unfortunately this lack of quick results leaves many individuals feeling lost and hopeless.