Teen Suicide Among Teens

Every minute of every day, an infant is born. Unfortunately, people die every minute as well. However, the causes of death vary. In the United States, suicide was the second leading cause of death in people within the age group 15-24 in 2014 (CDC). I, unfortunately, had my best friend, Robyn Kirkham, attempt to take her life at the age of 16 and it was one of the most horrifying experiences I have ever had to undergo. She was constantly bullied throughout middle and high school. One day, I was contacted by Aliyah Silva, one of Robyn Kirkham’s friends, and was asked if I knew if Robyn was still alive. I was extremely confused because I had not talked to Robyn in a few days. I then contacted Robyn Kirkham’s mother, Lynn Roberts, and she explained to me that Robyn had tried committing suicide by overdosing on pain medication. It is important to understand that suicide among teenagers is a growing issue in the United States. People should be able to identify the signs and symptoms so teen suicide can be avoided. Unfortunately, the issue of teen suicide is becoming more and more common in the United States. In the year 2000, approximately 240,000 teens committed suicide, in 2005, 270,000 teens committed suicide, and in the year 2014, approximately 320,000 teens committed suicide. This …show more content…
Research has shown that puberty can often be linked to depression in teens which is often an immense risk factor for suicidal thoughts and actions (Bichell). Depression has been proven to be the most common and significant causes of teen suicide because it amplifies the pain a teen may feel (Tracy). This causes teens to feel many different emotions such as worthlessness, sadness, guilt and irritability (Smith). Depression may also cause teens to lack a sense of enthusiasm, withdraw from family and friends, lose interest in activities they normally enjoy, or they may even begin to have poor school performance