Suicide is defined, as by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, as the act or an instance of taking one 's own life voluntarily and intentionally especially by a person of years of discretion and of sound mind. This has become something of a constant within today’s society amongst most age groups, but it has especially become increasingly relevant to the teenagers of today. With the increase of suicide within our society, we can only hope to help figure out a way to prevent it from happening, and hopefully find a way to help those who have been impacted by this horrific phenomena that occurs within our society. The various reasons of why suicidal tendencies seem to increase within teens can be divided into numerous reasons, such as: gender, trends
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Most teenagers express their personal feelings and emotions on those aforementioned social media websites and apps because they feel that they need someone to listen to them, making it an incredibly dangerous situation for everyone who views their posts. In the article, “Social Media Raises Fear of Teen Suicide Contagion,” Kristine Star wrote, “Messages posted on social media have been known to thwart some suicides as adults and others intervene, but some experts say such public messages also may prompt other youths to consider taking their own lives” (Star). The idea that anyone could attempt suicide and stream it on Facebook or Snapchat is horrifying and such attempts could influence other teenagers. However, social media is not the only one at blame in the case of teen suicides; the media, such as newspapers and televised news, can be blamed, “…the strongest indicator of a possible copycat effect is the volume of media coverage an individual suicide receives” (Copycat Suicide). Newspapers and news shows can be blamed for their constant coverage and mishandling of suicides; they use blunt terms when writing about suicide, instead of using terms that do not directly insinuate suicide. That is why there should be a careful editing …show more content…
To begin with, sometimes many parents and peers brush off warning signs, “The truth is that sometimes, it’s easy to miss the signs and just brush them off as “a phase” their teens are going through” (Troubled Teens). Unfortunately, that is a fairly true thought process behind many; it’s essentially and overlooked aspect of growing up because many teenagers have gone through an emotional change along with the changes that occur with puberty. Another warning sign could be the sudden interest in death and dying; many suicidal teens end up writing about their fascination with death in poetry and short stories and various other mediums. The most obvious warning sign is a sudden loss of interest in sports, activities, friends, family, and almost everything else; it can also be in correlation with a sudden loss in sleep and a waning interest in personal appearance. There are, however, various ways that parents and peers can help teens who are possible contemplating suicide. The first, and most important rule, is to just lend them a sincere ear; sit down with that person and talk to them. Next, urge that person to seek professional help with a counselor or psychologist. Lastly, just be there for that person at any time they may need you and just help them find a positive outlook on
Most teenagers express their personal feelings and emotions on those aforementioned social media websites and apps because they feel that they need someone to listen to them, making it an incredibly dangerous situation for everyone who views their posts. In the article, “Social Media Raises Fear of Teen Suicide Contagion,” Kristine Star wrote, “Messages posted on social media have been known to thwart some suicides as adults and others intervene, but some experts say such public messages also may prompt other youths to consider taking their own lives” (Star). The idea that anyone could attempt suicide and stream it on Facebook or Snapchat is horrifying and such attempts could influence other teenagers. However, social media is not the only one at blame in the case of teen suicides; the media, such as newspapers and televised news, can be blamed, “…the strongest indicator of a possible copycat effect is the volume of media coverage an individual suicide receives” (Copycat Suicide). Newspapers and news shows can be blamed for their constant coverage and mishandling of suicides; they use blunt terms when writing about suicide, instead of using terms that do not directly insinuate suicide. That is why there should be a careful editing …show more content…
To begin with, sometimes many parents and peers brush off warning signs, “The truth is that sometimes, it’s easy to miss the signs and just brush them off as “a phase” their teens are going through” (Troubled Teens). Unfortunately, that is a fairly true thought process behind many; it’s essentially and overlooked aspect of growing up because many teenagers have gone through an emotional change along with the changes that occur with puberty. Another warning sign could be the sudden interest in death and dying; many suicidal teens end up writing about their fascination with death in poetry and short stories and various other mediums. The most obvious warning sign is a sudden loss of interest in sports, activities, friends, family, and almost everything else; it can also be in correlation with a sudden loss in sleep and a waning interest in personal appearance. There are, however, various ways that parents and peers can help teens who are possible contemplating suicide. The first, and most important rule, is to just lend them a sincere ear; sit down with that person and talk to them. Next, urge that person to seek professional help with a counselor or psychologist. Lastly, just be there for that person at any time they may need you and just help them find a positive outlook on