Teen Suicide, how common is it?

[Elphaba]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 10:48pm

We've had three suicides by Palm Springs High School students just this year alone. I just don't get it, does this happen this often elsewhere?

[scott68]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 10:50pm

We had one apparent double suicide (slash lesbian love pact, long, long story) this year at my old high school, but apart from those I can't say I've ever heard of one occurring at the school. Certainly not in the four years I was there.

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 10:52pm

Since I've started high school, 5 kids have committed suicide. 3 were in school.
I'm only a sophomore
Scary scary. They weren't ever the kids you'd think would do that either. I didn't know any of them closely, but it's really just...chilling.

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 10:53pm

I have never been aware of any teen suicides in any areas where I have lived.

That being said, "What's your damage, Heather?"

[Elphaba]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 10:56pm

Anna, same with these kids, no known problems, well-liked, parents shocked......it's just really weird.

Wonder, "I love my gay son!"

[MotorTink]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 10:56pm

In my area, there have been a few over the years, but nothing that i would refer to as common.

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 11:00pm

The kids that I know of who have done it were upset with life because:
1. Her boyfriend broke up with her for her best friend
2. He didn't get into Yale
3. Her mother died
4. For the first time, she didn't get the lead in the school play, nor did she get on the varsity girl's soccer team, and she was failing all of her classes
5. He was high and drunk.

At least that is what their parents revealed through the newspapers...but again I didn't really know any of them. So we don't REALLY know the issues, but those reasons are assumed. (Except for the guy who high and drunk). But to be honest, I can never imagine going through such drasitc measures because of that. MAYBE maybe maybe my mother dying. Everyone was shocked, and they were all good kids so their reasons are..somewhat known but NO ONE expected it.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 11:02pm

Trauma is relative.

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 11:03pm

True..

[Mandi Moo]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 11:09pm

The only one that I know of was earlier this year. The girl didn't go to my school, but to a Catholic School nearby. Other than that I don't know of any that have happened in my school or others in the area. Maybe it's not as common in inner-city schools?

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 11:12pm

"2. He didn't get into Yale"

...

Seriously?

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 11:14pm

Yep. One of the seniors this year. He spent since probably grade school preparing for Yale. Top of the class, our school president, his father and grandfather both went. It like drove his entire existence.
But he didn't get in.
I believe his suicide note said something about Yale which is why they assumed it was for that reason.

Updated On: 6/3/07 at 11:14 PM

[polly2]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 11:14pm

I dont remember a single suicide when I was in high school (14 years ago... ack). I left town when I was 16. We just tended to drown our sorrows in booze & other ... umm... substances.

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 11:20pm

While it is very common in teens. The elderly have the highest rate of suicide. And that is a fact.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 11:21pm

Very BOYS DON'T CRY, polly.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 11:25pm

No thanks to Dr. Kevorkian, ljay.

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 11:30pm

That man is sick.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 11:36pm

Bad news (for the infirmed/elderly): He was released from prison this past Friday.

Good news (for you): He only has one year to live due to Hepatitis C.

[HatBoy]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 11:41pm

At my school there hasn't been any suicides that I can recall (since I've been here, 2 years).

There was, however, a girl who died last year due to cystic fibrosis. It was, and still is, very very tragic.

[Yawper]

Posted: 6/3/07 at 11:49pm

2004 stats - suicide is the third leading cause of death, after acident and homicide, for ages 15 - 24

The three younger suicides I knew all occurred a year or two after graduation
Youth suicide fact sheet

[paradox_error]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 12:16am

I never thought it was all that common, but a childhood/highschool friend of mine committed suicide just over two weeks ago...
It certainly was a...shock. I can't explain how horrible it felt when I received the phone call...
I wish there could be some way to help these kids. But what can we do?
It's such an awful issue...

[AnnaK<3LMIP]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 12:27am

paradox,I'm sorry about your friend.

The thing is, usually when people think about teenagers committing suicide, they picture a really lonely teen who clearly had problems. Kids who were made fun of, and just no one reached out to them. But that was certainly not the case with the kids from my school. There was another senior this year who just did their senior speakout topic on the suicides at our school (which was risky business and SO controversial within the student body) and she was talking about how teenagers perceive themselves lately relating to suicide. As in, teenagers are almost expected to be depressed and moody, and it's a normal thing to let the stress of school and friends consume you, because hey, you're only a teenager, that's what happens with teenagers. She argued that ultimately, suicide is inevitable in many people. I'm not sure if I agree with that, but I suppose it is debatable.

[AbbaRabbit]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 12:32am

last year a kid from hall high killed himself.

there were so many warning signs and none of his friends realized it untill it was too late.

he gave each of his friends a box with his belongings in it and a letter telling them how much they meant to him.

they should really teach kids in school what the warning signs are. at my old school, you only learned about it in psychology class and that was an elective... not everyone took it.

[MotorTink]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 12:33am

In teens as well as adults, it is no longer the typical loner outwardly depressed people committing suicide. In a lot of cases, it is like someone stated above, people you would have never suspected. People are finding new ways to mask their pain. And that is worse than the typical outwardly depressed people, because you do not know so therefore cannot help prevent if it is possible to at all. It is a really horrible and tragic issue that plagues people of all ages.

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 6/4/07 at 12:36am

As many of you know, the girl in my avatar, Ariel, one of my best friends, committed suicide 2 years ago this coming Sept.
It seems so recent as there isn't a time that she isn't on my mind. Although, when it first happened, I didn't think I could live anymore.