Adolescent Suicide: The Dangers And Seriousness Of Taking One’s Own Life

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Throughout the ever changing world, and the innovations of technologies substantially increasing, there is seen to be a direct correlation between that and the increase of personal responsibilties and social pressures. These pressures and responsiblities of the individual, in some cases can be too much to handle. More Specifically, with the change of society there are higher pressure on adolescents to succeed faster and earlier in life. Despite the positive connation with success, this societal view can result in negative effects, because of one universal standard. Present within the educational system there is seen to be one set of expectations one must reach in order to be successful in life; for example standardized testing. The entire department of education has adopted a uniform standard in which students need to pass in order to get a good subsequent life. The one imperative aspect of success that schools have been avoiding for years, is the different learning methods of individuals. “Education is not filling the mind with facts, yet training the mind to think.” -Albert Einstein. This quote illustrates the various truth that the point of schooling and education is teaching the mind to think and to train it to well adapt to the outside world. Suicide is the act in which one takes their own life, regardless of the means, there is only one ultimate conclusion, that person killed themself. Specifically for different cultures and groups, or even society as a whole, suicide is a substantially degrading factor for morale. Usually suicide is the result of low self esteem and self value, which reflects the relationship on a personal level within that society. More specifically, the actions and feelings of people individually, reflect the interactions and treaments of that soociety.One of the reasons why suicide is a significatant statistic is because of the standard the education system and society as a whole places on individuals that they need to meet a universal standard. Let alone do they meet it, some individuals cannot. Along with educational and occupational standards, society poses a big “regulation” in the lives of people as well.

Several Statistics

Throughout the twentyfirst centrury with 325.7 million inhabitants of the United States, it is estimated to be approximately 129 suicides per day. For a popular issue to be as staggering in its statistics as this is, there must be significant foundations causing it. Below are various reasons and causes of suicide, and the factors in which underlie.

Male v Females

From a recent study, AFSP states that, in 2017, men died by suicide 3.54 times more frequently than that of their female counterparts, and suicide deaths in 2017 as a whole, white males accounted for 77.97%. Roles as the breadwinners of the family, is the common stereotype for men. Generally speaking more often than not, males are held to a higher standard in terms of raising the family. Therefore, instilled at a young age, the male population experience a higher level of pressure and stress due to that preceeding fact. Men, statistically, are shown more incline to succesful financial job positions. According to, Dina Gerdeman from Harvard’s School of Business’ Working Knowledge; “Employers favor men not because they are prejudiced against women, but because they have the perception that men perform better on average at certain tasks.” As a result o this constant pressure for success, when men experience hardships within their occupation, or they are unable to attain employment, they resort to associating their personal setbacks with those respective setbacks in their workplace. Alas, suicide is a result to remedy this depressing period of their lives.

Wealthy vs. impoverished

One possible argument, and/or answer for this cause, is that there is seen to be a direct correlation between suicide and low income rates. A sample conducted by Mandi Woodruff, and examined in ‘Keeping Up With The Joneses’ Could Lead To Suicide, explains; “People who earned less than $34,000 were 50 percent more likely to commit suicide, and People who earned between $34,000 and $102,000 increased their risk for suicide by only 10 percent” (Woodruff, 2012). This research suggests that when people associate themselves with, ‘well-to-do’ people who’s net income is substantially above their own, those people try to ‘keep up’ with the elitists with whom they associate, therefore degrading their self esteem. Accordingly, the self fulfilling feeling one has is strongly associated with the necessity to attain employment, therefore unemployment is directly associated, or ‘labeled’, with depression and failure. When people are aware of this popular perspective and they, themselves are in that situation, it adds to the burden of self regret; “Unemployed people, in fact, are 72 percent more likely to commit suicide than people who are working. Retirees and people on leave from work also had higher suicide rates” (Woodruff, 2012). When people have a passion for employment and not for the sole purpose or ‘busy work’ they reach that state of self fulfillment and purpose. Therefore, if people consider themselves financially comfortable, they are ‘happy’.

Homosexual vs. Heterosexual community

With ever so changing social statuses and pressures, even though a familiar topic, the homosexual community is still rather new and different in terms of social acceptance. With that being said, many of the homosexual and LGBTQ communities label themselves as “targeted” or “harrassed” simply due to the fact that this is a position issue; politically speaking. Almost half of america is on board with the idea and acceptance of Homosexuality or transgenderism, and the respective other half is against it. According to Jeff Sheehy with the University of California, San Francisco’s Suicide Attempt Rate High Among Urban Gay Men, “twelve percent of urban gay and bisexual men have attempted suicide in their lifetime, a rate three times higher than the overall rate for American adult males” (Sheehy, 2002). This depicts the truth, that when people decide to nonconform to society, by acting despite the social standards, they are easily ostracized by the majority. Given that homosexuality is not a valence issue, therefore not accepted across the board, those individuals of that community are subject to mistreatment and harrassment.

Within this study, found was a bewildering trend. Among the age groups of suicide attempters within the community of gay and bisexual men, the rate has been shifted toward those of a younger age. For example, provided by Sheehy, “For most of those men who were at least 25 years old in 1970, the suicide attempt took place after they were 25 years old. For younger men, who did not reach 25 years old until after 1990, most of them made the suicide attempt before they turned 25 years old.” Even though this had shifted the scope of the age trend, the rate of suicide has remained constant.

Motives and desires of those who choose

Examined within the Harvard T.H. Chan School of of Public Health’s Means Matter, various surveys explained that those who have survived suicide attempts had confirmed that they had no intention nor thought of the lethality; however, they only wanted a quick remedy for their phsycological anguish. Accordingly the study provided; “Only 38% of the patients were accurate in their expectations regarding severity; 32% were inaccurate, and 29% did not know whether what they did was likely to be lethal.” Many of the people who attempt suicide do not give much thought into the means any further than mere ‘convienience.’ According to Means Matter, “A study of 33 people (mostly young men) who attempted suicide with a firearm and lived found that all used firearms obtained in their homes.” The most common reason behind the means is ‘availability.’ Described by the article, “A Houston study compared nearly-lethal suicide attempts with less-lethal attempts and found that expectation of dying, planning, impulsivity, and taking precautions against discovery were not associated with the medical severity of the attempt.”

Attituted of survived attempters

Nine out of ten people who attempt suicide and survive will not go on to die by suicide at a later date. This has been well-established in the suicidology literature. A literature review (Owens 2002) summarized 90 studies that have followed over time people who have made suicide attempts that resulted in medical care. Approximately 7% (range: 5-11%) of attempters eventually died by suicide, approximately 23% reattempted nonfatally, and 70% had no further attempts. Even studies that focused on medically serious attempts–such as people who jumped in front of a train (O’Donnell 1994)–and studies that followed attempters for many decades found similarly low suicide completion rates. At least one study, published after the 90-study review, found a slightly higher completion rate. This was a 37-year follow-up of self-poisoners in Finland that found an eventual completion rate of 13% (Suominen 2004). This relatively good long-term survival rate is consistent with the observation that suicidal crises are often short-lived, even if there may be underylying, more chronic risk factors present that give rise to these crises. Most people who die by suicide in the U.S. did not make a previous attempt. Prevention efforts that focus only on those who attempt suicide will miss the majority of completers. An international review of psychological autopsy studies found that approximately 40% of those dying by suicide had previously attempted (Cavanagh 2003). The proportion was lower (25-33%) among studies of youth suicide in the U.S. (Brent 1993, Shaffer 1996). A history of previous attempts is lower among those dying by firearm suicide and higher among those dying by overdose (NVISS data).

Most people who attempt suicide will not go on to complete suicide.
Still, history of suicide attempt is one of the strongest risk factors for suicide. 5% to 11% of hospital-treated attempters do go on to complete suicide, a far higher proportion than among the general public where annual suicide rates are about 1 in 10,000

Doctrine and Mandates

Regardless of incentive, there are laws in place regulating the actions of oneself in terms of suicide; whether it is acceptable or illegal. Even though suicide is a hot topic issue and a very senstive issue, a “gray area” there is a pretty universal perspective on the issue of suicide, and that is that it is very serious and should be attempted to be prevented.

State

*Attempted suicide, if caught, is illlegal and the attempter is arrestable in all 50 states. Even though the issue of suicide is a hot topic and sticky situation issue, state and federal law have no specific mandate on it. Even though there are not rules specifically regulating suicide, and claiming it as negative, there are some adverse laws regulating and imposing the awareness and prevention.

There are a variety of laws that pertain to youth suicide prevention. One law requires schools to educate students about suicide prevention using health curriculum. A different state law insulates all public and private school district employees and volunteers from civil liability for their acts and omissions when trying to intervene in a student’s suicide. The legislature found it so important that adults take action when a student is suicidal, that they insulated those adults from civil liability for their efforts with suicidal students. Staff members and volunteers should feel safe in doing their best to identify and help suicidal students.

In order to prevent suicide, schools must be able to detect and locate the root of that problem. As previously stated, bullying is a very significant factor in suicide rates among adolescents. If there can be a prevention in bullying, there can be a reduction, significantly, in suicide. Accordingly many states, including texas, have required administrators in the educational industry to remedy bullying and harassment if detected: Texas Education Code – Staff Development School district staff development is authorized to include certain training, including training in preventing, identifying, responding to, and reporting incidents of bullying.

Liturgical

Given that christianity, more specifically Catholicism, is the largest religion in the United States, the Church has some distinctive perspectives and mandates regarding suicide. The principle value of Christianity is the respect of life and the mission of love.

Following are some doctrine, from the CCC; “Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him. It is God who remains the sovereign Master of life. We are obliged to accept life gratefully and preserve it for his honor and the salvation of our souls. We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us. It is not ours to dispose of” (CCC 2280). Seeing that God is the creator of heaven and earth, God is also the creator of life. According to the sole mission of God, love, the ultimate gift of that love is life. Accordingly within the Catechism, “Suicide contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to preserve and perpetuate his life. It is gravely contrary to the just love of self. It likewise offends love of neighbor because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family, nation, and other human societies to which we continue to have obligations. Suicide is contrary to love for the living God” (CCC 2281). This explains that suicide is an act completely against the mission and fundamentals of human love. “If suicide is committed with the intention of setting an example, especially to the young, it also takes on the gravity of scandal. Voluntary co-operation in suicide is contrary to the moral law. Grave psychological disturbances, anguish, or grave fear of hardship, suffering, or torture can diminish the responsibility of the one committing suicide” (CCC 2282). Even though, suicide is a grave sin and offense against the principle of love, with God’s omnipotence, He is the only judge and can determine the desires and personal wills of each of us at the time of death.Peter Kreeft, uses further ellaboration on the issue along with clarification of catholic doctrine within his book entitled: Catholic Christianity. “..Thus the fundamental question about the morality of human life is a question about fact, about truth. What ought to be depends on what is. If I am in fact God’s Creature, then the answer to the question “whose life is it, anyway?” is that it is God’s. My life is his gift. Suicide is a sin not only against God but also against self. “Suicide…is gravely contrary to the just love of self” (CCC 2281). We are commanded to love our neighbor as ourselves; this logically entails loving ourselves as our neighbor. Killing oneself is murder just as killing another is. “It likewise offends love of neighbor because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family. …… and other human societies to which we continue to have obligations” (CCC 2281). It is not a victimless crime. It horribly scars the souls of all who love the one who does it. However, “[w]e should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the oppurtunity for salutary repentance” (CCC 2283) – perhaps at the very moment of death.

Regardless of a religious affiliation every person can agree the act of suicide is wrong despite the foundational motives. It may be as the result of a neurological “chemical imbalance” however, the majority of suicides are the result of an untreated extreme depression. Each person, with regard to maintaining homeostasis, both physically and phsycologically, have that element of response to stimulus. Depending on the stimuli and the individual, that response varies. With regard to social pressure and questioning self esteem, depression is a common response to that stimulus. Life is a circle, and a respective balance. Therefore, everyone who is living, has a purpose, and mission to benefit society. Life is a lake and each person ads to lake in terms of a ripple effect, and if society continues to lax the real truth about suicide, each case will efect society. Opposed to enforcing laws and labeling them as potential threats, we must help them.

Even though there are some suicides as a result of unpreventable neurological diseases, the majority of suicides are the result of some harassment or an a pressure placed on the individual that they cannot handle. The underlying problem within society is not the question of suicide, it is human interaction. Even though suicide is a grave offense against the virtue of love, it can be prevented by positive interaction with each human. Bullying is a common factor of many hate crimes and fatal actions of society, mass shootings, murders and even suicide.

References

Kreeft, P. J. (2001). Catholic Christianity: A Complete Catechism of Catholic Beliefs based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church. San Francisco CA. Ignatius Press.
Sheehy, J. (2002). UCSF News Center. Retrieved from https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2002/08/4835/suicide-attempt-rate-high-among-urban-gay-men-ucsf-study-finds
Suicide Statistics. (2017). Retrieved from https://afsp.org/about-suicide/suicide-statistics/
U.S. Public Health Service. (1999). Violence Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/suicide/riskprotectivefactors.html
Smischney, T. M., Francisco, A. C. & Villarruel A. (January, 2014). Adolescent Suicide [PDF]. Retrieved from https://reachfamilies.umn.edu/sites/default/files/rdoc/Adolescent%20Suicide.pdf
Cash, S. J., Ph.D. & Bridge J. A. (October, 2009). Epidemiology of Youth Suicide and Suicidal Behavior. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2885157/
Waimberg, J. (october, 2015). Constitution Daily. Retrieved from https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/does-the-constitution-protect-a-right-to-die/
https://dpi.wi.gov/sspw/mental-health/youth-suicide-prevention/laws
https://afsp.org/about-suicide/suicide-statistics/
https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/why-employers-favor-men
https://www.businessinsider.com/link-between-wealth-and-suicide-rates-san-francisco-federal-reserve-2012-11

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