Category: Suicide

Suicide is the act of taking one’s owns life deliberately. In most countries, it has been ranked as the number 10 cause of death. In recent times, the rates of suicide have increased due to a lot of reasons. There are gender differences in the way males and females carry out their suicide attempts, across the world, suicide rates are significantly higher for men compared to women. Another difference in gender is that men’s attempts being more violent and they choose more lethal methods are more impulsive are less likely to seek help for emotional problems, and express depression differently. Women often prefer methods such as the use of drugs, while men will go for methods like hanging or the use of firearms.

One of the reasons a person results in taking their own life would be feelings of worthlessness. This is one of the most common ones, as it comes from within and takes a lot of effort to stop feeling this way. Many people feel as though the world would be a better place without them and therefore result in taking their own lives. Other times, the environment a person is around can also fuel these feelings, for example, abusive environments can really lead a person down this path.

Another reason would be feelings of being unloved and unwanted. Again, these can be internal or external. The external just adds fuel to the fire and makes the person become warier about their relationships and often withdraw from the society and the people around them. Isolation can lead to the escalation of these thoughts and ideas and a person can end their life because of beliefs that they had that were not true.

Intense amounts of pressure placed on a person have also been seen to lead to suicide. A lot of people have ended up taking their lives because they were put under so much pressure and at some point knew that they could not fulfill what they were supposed to do and therefore ended everything. They often feel like they do not want to disappoint people and do not want to look for help and carry the burden until it is too much for them to handle.

Bottling up emotions has also led to people taking the option of suicide as a way out. A person holds up so much emotion that they become overwhelmed by them. This is especially prevalent when it comes to feelings of sadness, hate, depression, despair, and sometimes even fear. There has always been a notion, where men have to be strong and men cannot cry and all these unfortunately have led to the rates of suicide in males going up in the last few years.

Another reason why people go down this path is because of the lack of support systems. Nowadays, people have become so individualistic that we sometimes find ourselves more worried about ourselves than we are for others. This then pans out to everyone and therefore if a person has a problem, they do not have anyone to go to, especially the people closest to them. Most people often go to their close friends and family before resulting to go for therapy and therefore if these people are not present, they feel neglected.

The rate of male suicides has increased significantly over the years because men are more impulsive, are less likely to seek help for emotional problems, and express depression differently. This of course leads to them bottling p emotions and because of their impulsive nature, they tend to become more daring and end up taking extreme measures.

The death of a loved one is obviously very painful to people, but when it comes to suicide, the way these people react becomes very different. Some of these are related to the stages of grief, which include, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance.

The first effect comes as a denial that the person has ended their life. They start to claim that they knew their son/daughter/friend very well and believe that something must have happened so that the deceased was led down this path. They claim that this person was not the type to go do this to themselves and that they were better than the actions that they took.

One of the most effective ways of managing suicide is allowing people to be open and to talk about their feelings. Many of the cases reported have been because the person was not able to get help or did not reach out. The notion of “men need to be strong” and “real men do not cry” needs to be abolished as these are some of the reasons why many men are taking their own lives. This happens because people may not be available to be there for people but now, we have to

We also need to be there for each other. Providing support for our friends and families is one of the most effective ways of preventing suicidal thoughts, which are the starting point. Before people seek professional help from therapists, they are more likely to go and seek advice from someone they are close and therefore we have to be able to help our friends or family members before it is too late.

Another way of preventing suicide is encouraging people, especially males, that it is okay to be emotional. The rates of male suicides in the past few years have risen drastically and this has been caused by the age-old notion that to be a man is to be strong and to not show emotion and to be brave.

One other way is to educate people on the signs of depression, which a lot of the time is the main sign associated with suicidal thoughts. For example, if a person has changed from being jovial to gloomy over a long period of time, try and engage them and do not let them wallow in their sadness.

One of the ways to out for signs of change in our friends or even talking about it, in a joking manner especially. Many people use humor as a way of covering up their true intent and feelings until it is too late for anything to be done. We need to be able to pick up talk about intention, or even just the ideation so that we are able to help them get out of the dark place that they are in.

In conclusion, as much as the rates of suicide have risen significantly in the last few years, it is possible to help people not opt for that route. To be able to help them, we need to be able to know and understand the causes of suicide, the effects it has on the person themselves and the people around them, and the ways in which we can manage these causes and symptoms. This can also enable us to come up with appropriate methods of helping the people through the process.

Introduction

The sociological significance of suicide has changed dramatically throughout history. It’s development can be divided into three periods: Pre-Durkheimian, Durkheimian and Post-Durkheimian. This essay will look at all three periods and discuss how the significance of suicide has evolved from a sociological standpoint. It will also look at the different factors that have contributed, and continue to contribute, to the rise in suicide rates worldwide. Examples of the factors that will be examined are, geographical, integration and regulation, and social roles. “Society does not shed any light on [individual] suicide, but suicide does shed some light on society” (Baudelot, Establet, 2008)

Pre-Durkheimian

Right up until the 1800s, there was very little study done on suicide from a sociological point of view. It still thought to be a problem faced by individuals, even though some social factors were acknowledged (Wray, Colen, 2011). I wasn’t until the early-mid 1800s, that sociologists such as Adolph Quetelet and Henry Morselli suggested, against the sociological norms, that some patterns, including geographical and systematic, pointed to the idea that suicide may be caused my factors others than the individual (Baudelot, Establet, 2008,). Gabriel Tarde was one of the first that theorised that geographical clustering of suicides may be due to imitative behaviours, one of the basic driving forces of human nature. His theory suggested that because humans have a tendency to imitate those around them, especially those considered to be significant, such as a family member, friend or leader, it is possible that suicides could lead to more suicides and so on, creating a chain reaction (de Tarde G, 1903). In the modern day we, of course, know this to be true as we have evidence of it, mostly from cult mass suicides.

Durkheimian

Durkheim completely changed the way we, as a society, look at suicide. Unlike others, he “sought to understand how negative meanings and emotions were produced in individual and groups during times of dramatic social change” (Wray, Colen, 2011). Durkheim stated there were four types of suicide, which came from two major axis: Integration and Regulation. (Wray,Colon, 2011)

Integration refers to the ideas of social belonging, love, care, inclusion, etc. Well integrated groups are stable and have cohesive social ties. Its members feel supported and therefore are a low suicide risk. However, it is at the two ends of the spectrum where that risk increases (Wray, Colon, 2011). “Suicide rates vary inversely with the degree of integration of the social group to which the individual belongs” (Durkheim. E, 2006 [1897]). A lack of integration in groups leads to isolation, depression and, in some cases, suicide. At the other end there is over integration. Over integration into a group can lead to mass suicide or suicide for the benefit of the group over the individual, such as suicide bombers and cult members but also war heroes and martyrs. (Wray, Colon, 2011).

Regulation is the “monitoring, oversight and guidance that comes from social ties” (Wray, Colon, 2011). Regulation is a requirement, socially, because it gives people moral guidance and an external form of restraint. Without regulation, we would not know the difference between right and wrong. Similar to integration, at both ends of the spectrum, there is cause for concern. Over regulation restricts individualisation and one might feel controlled by societal norms and rules. The longing to escape from such external forces may lead to suicide. Lack of regulation usually occurs when society is undergoing changes.

These are the 4 types of suicide that were proposed by Émile Durkheim in 1897. They are often visualised in a U-shaped graph. (Wray, Colon, 2011). Post-Durkheimian: From a sociological view, suicide post- Durkheimian is very difficult to summarize. The subject, and sociology as a whole, entered into a period of confusion (Wray, Colon, 2011). The world was changing rapidly, and more and more theories began to emerge. Post 1950s, however, there were 3 main sociological statements made on suicide.

• Henry & Short presented the aggression – frustration model. Their theory was that homicide and suicide are just two sides of the same coin. An increase in frustration would lead to an increase in aggression which, in turn, would lead to an increase in lethal violence. Henry & Short theorised that people that experience this violence, and channel it outwards, commit homicide, whereas those who channel it inwards commit suicide. However, studies found this theory to be false, as the data collected was consistent and didn’t show any patterns (Wray, Colon, 2011)
• Gibbs & Martin saw conflict arising from social roles (i.e. marital status, occupation, sex) as the main cause of suicide. Their idea was that, in cases of high, unsolvable role conflict, there would be an increase in suicide rates. Although testing of this theory was done, and evidence found to support it, the idea was never fully adapted in the sociology community (Wray, Colon, 2011)
• According to JD Douglas, Durkheim’s perspective on the matter of suicide was fundamentally flawed, as he never considered what suicide meant from a cultural and social standpoint. He also questioned the accuracy of data and statistics relating to suicide at the time. The definition of suicide at the time was debated and coroners and doctors didn’t always know if a certain death was from suicide or not (Wray, Colon, 2011)

Closing Statement

This essay has discussed how there are many factors that contribute to suicide and that the pre-Durkheimian view that suicide is the problem of an individual, is wrong. In conclusion, it is an easy statement to make that there are many social factors that are sociologically significant because of the negative impact they can have on a person’s wellbeing and overall health, which, in some cases, leads to the death of the individual at the individuals own hand.

In this paper, I plan to argue that teen suicide is a serious issue in the society we live in today. It is starting to become more common among the teens in our community. People all around us are constantly being affected by this issue. In my hometown, Woodstock in 2016, five teens committed suicide within weeks of each other. This weighed heavily on my community during this time. People even started to label it as a suicide pact. Students from within the area staged a walkout to protest. I have had many close friends and family affected. We need to consider possible reasons why our youth is crying for help at such a young age. What is our generation doing so differently that is causing our teens to not want to live anymore? Evidence states that teens of today’s communities are at a high risk of suicide which is beginning to negatively impact our generation. People of the community and mental health professionals should take more precaution regarding their teens’ well-being.

“Suicide is the second leading cause of death for children, adolescents, and young adults age 5-to-24 years old” (Aacap, n.d.). Just sit and think about that statement for a minute, “suicide is the second leading cause of death for adolescents” (Aacap, n.d.). I do not know about you, but this statement weighs heavy on my heart. Why is this happening? Being a teenager should be the most exciting time of your life. A time where you welcome change and embrace it with open arms. A time when you plan for the future and live life to the fullest. Although all of this seems tremendous, it is not always the case. The majority of adolescents who commit suicide or attempt to do so are the ones we normally do not recognize as being in a crisis. They could be the ones we least expect it to happen to —–the ones we see smiling, laughing, and having a good time with their friends. It can even be the ones engaging in student activities and who are the most popular. Little do we know that they could be hiding it all deep down inside. “Many people who commit suicide do so without letting on that they are thinking about it or planning it” (Skerrett, 2017, par. 2). However, some do mention it from time to time. They may say things like, “ I’d be better off dead” or “if I see you again” (Skerrett, 2017, par. 10). For me these are very alarming statements. Could you imagine someone saying that to you? I cannot even comprehend how they must be feeling. “Most teens that have been interviewed after a suicide attempt say that what causes teen suicide are feelings of hopelessness and helplessness” (Tracyn, 2015, par. 2). There are many more reasons than just those two that are contributing to this issue. To start, being a teenager can be pretty difficult at times, especially when you first enter high school. This can be a huge change for some people and a big leap from what they were used to or comfortable with. High school can be a headache within itself; students are battling every day with peer pressure, extra-curricular activities, academic pressure, and friends. That is a lot for one person to handle and that is not even all of it. No wonder many teens feel like their only way out of these situations is to die. “Teens may feel like they have no control to change their situations or issues” (Tracyn, 2015, par. 2). They do not know how to deal with these things. “Suicide rates can be different between males and females. Males are four times more likely than females to commit suicide and women are more likely to have thoughts of suicide” (Suicide and Suicide Prevention: Risk Factors and Treatment, n.d.). Male suicide rates are higher because men are more prone to use more reckless approaches to suicide attempts such as jumping from high buildings, or hanging (Lyness, 2015, par. 7).

Some of the causes that can increase possible suicide or suicidal attempts in adolescents can stem from things such as mental health problems, major life changes, being a victim of bullying, and lack of a social network (Lyness, 2015, par. 10). All these things can have a major impact in the lives of teens we see every day, especially depression, we see that quite a lot in our generation. Depression and adolescent suicide are very closely linked together. “Teens experiencing depression are 12 times more likely to commit suicide than teens not experiencing depression and greater than half who complete suicide had major depression” (King, K. A., & Vidourek, R. A., 2012, p. 1). Personally, I know that depression is a real thing. It can negatively start to impact your life if it is not dealt with properly. One of my close friends struggled with depression and is still struggling. Depression can alter a person’s view of the world. It can cause them to sink to a really low point in their life and experience feelings of sadness, hopelessness, fear, and even possibly regret (The Link Between Depression and Suicide, 2003, par. 5). Females are more prone to mental illnesses or suicidal thoughts because of their sleep cycles and hormones that come with the stage of life they are in (The Link Between Depression and Suicide, 2003, par. 4). A lot of adolescent females suffer from lack of sleep due to school schedules. Many of them stay up late doing homework then get up early the next morning and repeat it over again. It can have a significant impact on their lives and possibly contribute to depression. Depression can last for a long period of time and if it does not stop, a young teen can be in a lot of danger. They can start to think “thoughts about death, negative thoughts about one’s self, and a sense of worthlessness. Depressed thinking can convince someone that there is nothing worth living for” (The Link Between Depression and Suicide, 2003, par. 6). This is a real problem for adolescents and has increased the risk of suicide. A lot of teens do not realize when they are in this state of mind that there is a way out, and that suicide is not the answer. People do care about them and they can get better over time (The Link Between Depression and Suicide, 2003, par. 7). I feel that it is time that we start to educate our youth on these issues or concerns that they may have. It is ok to not be ok.

Major life changes can also play a huge part in the increase of suicide such as a parent’s divorce, a recent break-up, failing in school, and even having problems with friends (Tracyn, 2015, par. 5). All these things can have a major impact in their lives. Although it might seem like not a big issue or concern to us, to teens it might feel like their whole world is crumbling into pieces. They may start to feel like everything that has happened to them is their fault. “Teens may feel like their feelings are unbearable, and will never end, so the only way to escape is suicide” (Tracyn, 2015, par. 3).

Bullying can also contribute to this issue as well. It can start at such a young age that people might not even realize that the things that they are saying can be hurtful, especially when we use sarcasm. Sometimes statements can go a lot farther than we wanted them to. Unfortunately, over the years, bullying has increased not just in schools, but online as well. It has increased over the past few years in our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community more than ever before (Brown, 2010, p. 1). “A public survey indicated that 80 percent of LGBT students report regular harassment by fellow students” (Brown, 2010, p. 1). These youth are constantly facing battles every day of discrimination in the classroom, the internet, or physical abuse in the neighbourhood (Brown, 2010, p. 1). It is a big problem and it is compelling our teens to want to end their lives. It has not only impacted the lives of these youth, but also their friends, family, and communities. We need to draw more attention to these situations. No person should want to end his or her life because he/she is different and does not conform to standards of our society. That is completely unacceptable! What does that say about our character as a nation? We should be embracing those that are different and help them flower into the people they are truly meant to be. Everyone deserves to be cherished and accepted for who they are (Brown, 2010, p. 2). Adolescents already have a lot of issues to deal with; they do not need anything else to be added onto their plate. In order to stop this issue of discrimination on our LGBT youth, we need to educate people. The more a person is educated, he/she is less likely to be judgmental.

“Research indicates that most teens that are suicidal show warning signs and possess certain risk factors” (King, K. A., & Vidourek, R. A., 2012, p. 2). Being proactive early on can really benefit the young life that is at risk. The sooner one can take action in these circumstances, the more helpful it can be later on for the individual (King, K. A., & Vidourek, R. A., 2012, p. 1). “Warnings can consist of three major groups. These groups are classified as behavioural warning signs, verbal warning signs, and stressful life events” (King, K. A., & Vidourek, R. A., 2012, p. 2). Behavioural warning signs are composed of actions. Some examples of behavioural warning signs that could be exhibited are a lack of enthusiasm in favourite activities, alcohol or drug use, and changes in physical appearance (King, K. A., & Vidourek, R. A., 2012, p. 2). Verbal warning signs can be things that are said to another person or just specific things they say out loud that isn’t directed at anyone (King, K. A., & Vidourek, R. A., 2012, p. 2). Those statements can be things like “My family would be better off without me” or “I cannot stand living alone anymore” (King, K. A., & Vidourek, R. A., 2012, p. 2). Stressful life events is another major indicator that things could begin to get bottled up and cause a teen to become isolated. It can be small things that people on the outside might not even know about such as a death in the family, problems with relationships, or even sickness (King, K. A., & Vidourek, R. A., 2012, p. 1). I think that it is important for everyone to stay alert to all of these things. If you see or know anyone in trouble please be proactive about it. Our society needs to make changes to fix these issues. It is important for the public to educate not only our youth, but everyone. We need to stop the stigma that society is putting on individuals about their mental health. It is not benefiting anyone; it is just making things worse.

Suicide is completely unacceptable and is preventable. I think that the society we live in has grown massively over the years and has changed the way we live. Every single day more teens are dying from this same issue, suicide. It is absolutely horrific to think that my generation has caused people to want to take their life. You would think that with all of our technological advancements that have been made that these would pull us closer together, but in reality it has driven us farther apart. It is tearing friends, family, and communities apart, but maybe that is the issue. We live in a generation that if something is broken we just move on to something bigger or better. We never want to fix the issues. Then when someone asks for help or goes to seek it, they get judged for being different and get centered out. Our generation has laid one too many teens in the ground. So many of us young people have lost too many friends. They were too young to die and had so much to live for. I think that our society needs to continue talking about these issue that are going on. The more people talk about it, the more it will help decrease the stigma around it. “It also raises awareness about the warning signs and the roles we can play to help those battling mental health to get the care they need” (Staples, 2018, par. 3). It almost seems like this issue of suicide is always hushed up and nobody wants to talk about it. Whenever it comes up as a topic, people get uncomfortable; and quiet, and do not know what to say. If we want to make this problem change, we need to talk about it. We need to get uncomfortable and put everything out on the table. Our communication and social skills need to increase. It is our job as a society to make sure that all of our people feel comfortable including our adolescents. They should be able to feel like they are living in a safe environment and can express the way they are feeling without any backlash. They need to know that it is ok to be hurting and confused. It is part of growing up, and suicide is not the answer.

How can society makes changes to fix these issues? I think that our society can and will benefit from many changes. There are many different strategies and intervention programs that our communities can benefit from. To start, I think that the first intervention program that our government should implement is The Suicide Prevention and Depression Awareness Program (King KA, Strunk CM, Sorter MT, n.d., p. 2). I believe that this program is effective and could possibly be the beginning of where we first reach success. The majority of adolescents are enrolled in a local high school. By using this program in the school system, we have the possibility of reaching more than half the young people in our communities. During these teachings, the students are given “factual information regarding depression risk factors, suicidal warning signs, risk factors, and common myths associated with suicide” (King KA, Strunk CM, Sorter MT, n.d., p. 2). The main purpose of this program is to teach the students how to distinguish suicidal behaviours in other individuals and in themselves (King KA, Strunk CM, Sorter MT, n.d., p. 2). While teaching The Suicide Prevention and Depression Awareness Program, they use real stories about individuals who have died by suicide or have had suicidal attempts. For me, this method of teaching stands out and I think the reason for that is because they are sharing real stories from individuals in their age group. It allows the young people to see that other individuals just like them have suffered through these things. I feel that the students will really be able to connect with this and start to care more about this issue. I strongly believe that this teaching method will have a real impact on their lives and stay with them forever. Maybe one day when someone is in a crisis, we will be able to help that individual because we were educated about it. “About 9 out 10 (87.3%) adolescents felt that this program should be offered to all high school students” (King KA, Strunk CM, Sorter MT, n.d., p. 1).

Secondly, our society can help prevent suicide by building social support networks. “This can consist of friends, family, a peer support or support groups, or connections with a cultural or faith community” (Preventing Suicide, n.d.). I think this is one of the best methods to help teens. They need to have a strong support system if they are going to succeed, especially when they are going through rough times. Having a support system can be so beneficial; they are places and people you can go to and seek guidance or help when you need it. Authority figures need to make sure that their teens are engaging in all these social aspects and have good connections in all these places. It will help insure the teens’ well-being. “The feeling of social connectedness is one such protective factor that is directly associated with positive emotional health” (King, K. A., & Vidourek, R. A., 2012, p. 1).

Another way our society can help prevent suicide is by informing the public of places people can go when they are need. The government could start by making more commercials and posting flyers around the cities, so that everyone is always kept informed. Just because we think everyone knows about places they can go to get help, does not mean that they do. If teens are experiencing hardships or problems they can use the Canadian Mental Health Association, call a crisis line, and even 911 as a last resort (Preventing Suicide, n.d.).

Fourth and finally, our communities could benefit from having more access to prevention treatments such as different kinds of therapies. Some of the therapies that would help our youth are Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (Suicide and Suicide Prevention: Risk Factors and Treatment, n.d.). Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is used for patients battling disorders. This treatment is effective because it helps redirect negative thoughts and learn new ways of dealing with them, so that they can be used for good (Suicide and Suicide Prevention: Risk Factors and Treatment, n.d.). Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is used to help identify negative feelings or possible actions a person might do if they are in distress. This therapy teaches different coping skills and methods to help a person who is struggling. “DBT has been shown to decrease the prevalence of attempted suicide but has shown no effect on completed suicides” (Suicide and Suicide Prevention: Risk Factors and Treatment, n.d.).

Conclusion

In conclusion, teen suicide is a huge issue in the society we live in today. It affects not only males, but females as well. There are many different causes and issues associated with it. I strongly believe that if we start to make changes in our communities that things can be different. Only we have the power to change. It is unfortunate how many people are affected and how it has really impacted their perspective on life. If we do not start to make changes now, there is no telling what things could like in years to come. What if we just stand by and watch? What will happen then? Do you think we could really make a change?

References

1. Aacap. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.aacap.org/aacap/families_and_youth/facts_ or_families/fff- guide/teen-suicide-010.aspx
2. Brown, S. (2010). Sen. Brown Gives First ‘It Gets Better’ Address on Senate Floor: Addresses
3. Recent Teen Suicides and Bullying; Tells Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth that ‘It Gets Better’. Congressional Documents and Publications.doi:file:///home/chronos/u-b51a80d0267e3a04f59f9af90c941c59eec93d9d/Downloads/ProQuestDocuments-2019-03-22.pdf
4. King, K. A., Strunk CM, Sorter MT. Preliminary effectiveness of Surviving the Teens® Suicide Prevention and Depression Awareness Program on adolescents’ suicidality and self-efficacy in performing help-seeking behaviors. J Sch Health, 81(9), 581-590.doi:https://journals-scholarsportal-info.proxy1.lib.uwo.ca/pdf/00224391/v81i0009/581_peosttasiphb.xml
5. King, K. A., & Vidourek, R. A. (2012). Teen depression and suicide: Effective prevention and intervention strategies. The Prevention Researcher, 19(4), 15-17. doi:10.1037/e535022013-005.
6. Lyness, D. (Ed.). (2015, August). About Teen Suicide (for Parents). Retrieved from https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/suicide.html
7. Preventing Suicide. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://cmha.ca/documents/preventing-suicide
8. Skerrett, P. J. (2017, November 28). Suicide often not preceded by warnings. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/suicide-often-not-preceded-by-warnings-201209245331
9. Staples, G. B. (2018, June 20). Are suicides really preventable? The statistics aren’t encouraging. Retrieved from https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/health/ct-are-suicides-preventable-20180620-story.html
10. Suicide and Suicide Prevention: Risk Factors and Treatment. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.psycom.net/depression.central.suicide.html

Suicide is an easy way out to not face difficulty in life , that seems ridiculous to people, but that’s not an understatement as well . People are suffering whole life due to their poor choices or rather karma , that’s a whole different aspect of thinking , but let’s talk about some common issues for carrying out such a horrible step , which are depression , impulsive , overburden , or can be bullying . Everyone has a bad or hopeless phase in their life , but that does not mean to give up your precious lives for it , it can be simply avoidable by being mentally strong as Sun will cast the shadow of burden behind us , just have to be patient .

The most common cause is by far mental illness . Substance abuse can be playing a major role here , as it triggers our thinking process , behaving awkwardly and trying to focus our minds mostly into voids of negativity and hopelessness . Another reason would stressful life occurrences , can be leading to taking some horrible steps in life .

Depression is a mood disorder , often described as clinical depression , created by various aspects . They can be caused by genetics , personality , life events . It is the most dangerous space where , they cannot get over on their efforts alone . According to a research , men are more prone to have irritation , angriness, and discouragement during the depression . “ Across the country , suicide amongst teen girls and young women is on substantial rise , whilst male suicide in the same age group declines , according to data released by Statistics Canada ” ( Robin Levinson-King, 2017) . For example, in India , there is place known as “ KOTA ” , which is recognized as education hub as well as contributing most suicide done by students over there . The reason is overburdened to achieve “IIT” rank and compete with other students who are in a rat race themselves .

This had led to many suicides in the past decade , as we are moving forward at an astonishing rate towards achieving , constant development , it becomes hard to be on the same level always . Especially , in schools , and colleges where there are many assignments to complete in a short time sometimes , can put in lots of burden , in order to completing the task , they skip entire nights’ sleep , which can impact their health significantly . There should not be any burden at least on the education part , as we are going there for learning things not overloading us with all things . “The simple reason suicide has been neglected for so long is a stigma . It is not even a sinful act, it is viewed as something shameful that must be hidden” ( Friedman, 2018) .

Mostly done by senior students to juniors for fun , that seems ridiculous but it is a fact . Bullying is an act of abuse , using force , or threaten someone weak to defend themselves . They would not be able to focus and concentrate on their studies as they always try to avoid being bullied . The more bullied a child gets , the greater the chance to develop psychological scars that can last forever . Even the bullies develop aggression behavioral pattern , which in turn cannot be changed for life as they can know they can do anything using just their anger . This all thing results in committing suicide at such a young age . At this very age , children shrink their confidence as they were not able to do anything to kids who bullied them , it can lead to poor decision making in their lifetime .

“It has been suggested that an indented approach to suicide prevention is to increase public and clinical awareness , training general practitioners to recognize and refer patients with suicidal ideation and behaviours , facilitating access to treatment , and restricting access to means of suicide would be most beneficial ” ( Kaess , 2012) .

If we see statistics for attempting suicide, they can give us goosebumps . Firstly , for preventing suicide , don’t leave a suicidal alone , as long as possible , because loneliness can be an excuse for committing suicide . Talk to them and throw some positivity so that they can balance things out in life . Care for them , these small little things can change their mind about suicide .

References

1. Kaess, M. (2012). Suicide prevention. BMJ : British Medical Journal (Online), 345doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezcentennial.ocls.ca/10.1136/bmj.e5779
2. Friedman, R. (2018). Suicide rates are rising. What should we do about it? Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/11/opinion/suicide-rates-increase-anthony-bourdain-kate-spade.html
3. Levinson-King, R. (2017). Teen suicide on the rise among Canadian girls. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39210463

Suicide — a conscious act of ending one’s life. However, there is much more to that definition. For one to fully comprehend suicide, one must understand the common factors behind it. Émile Durkheim, in his book Suicide: A Study in Sociology, argues that for us to fully comprehend the variations in the rates and types of suicides, we must first consider the social structure, and the two components that make up the structure: social integration and social regulation. This key factor is crucial when fully comprehending such variations as the nature of suicides is social, not individual, according to Durkheim. Based on the statistical evidence regarding the suicide rates from different European nations and how the data’s variability “proves the concrete and individual quality of these same characteristics” because they differ “with the individual character of society itself,” Durkheim concludes that “these statistical data express the suicidal tendency with which each society is collectively afflicted” (1951, 51). In other words, judging from the data demonstrating the tendency for suicides to possess shared traits in its variabilities, it can be deduced that suicides are a social phenomenon according to Durkheim. Because suicides are a social factor, the two components of integration and regulation play a crucial role in determining the type of suicide Durkheim categorizes — be it altruistic, anomic, egoistic, or fatalistic.

With the four categories in place, real life examples should be made to visualize how those four particularly act on specific groups of individuals. The first group to be examined are veterinarians. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “male vets are 2.1 times as likely and female vets 3.5 times as likely to die by suicide compared with the general population” (Simon, Balaban, and Doubek 2019). With vets having financial stress to pay off the debt left after expensive medical schools with an annual median pay of $94,000, which is “less than half of that for physicians and surgeons,” along with emotional stress to deal with “disease, disability and death on a daily basis,” it can clearly be seen that the occupation is strenuous — involving high levels of regulation (Simon, Balaban, and Doubek 2019). Vets also experience online harassment with many of their customers treating them as public scapegoats to blame the loss of a beloved pet (Simon, Balaban, and Doubek 2019). Clearly, vets experience levels of much higher regulation as compared to other individuals with less high stake jobs. Along with it, vets often “practice alone,” and with the long hours of work, they are often resorted to a life of low social integration. With these two factors of high regulation and low integration, it can likely be determined that the type of suicide vets are experiencing is of a fatalistic nature. With intense levels of social control along with isolation, the vets, by Durkheim’s standards, fit appropriately into the category of fatalistic suicide, or “the suicide deriving from excessive regulation, that of persons with futures pitilessly blocked and passions violently choked by oppressive discipline” (Durkheim 1951, 276). Because vets are continuously exposed to overwhelming external factors that regulate their life, whether it is financial pressure or online harassment, and because they are less socially involved due to their free time barricaded by sudden medical emergencies and long hours of work, the vets would feel as if there is nothing but suicide to which they can turn.

Not only are veterinarians at the risk of fatalistic suicide, but also are another marginalized group — homeless LGBT teenagers. Out of the 1.6 to 2.8 million estimated homeless youths in the United States, 20 to 40 percent are LGBT — a stark contrast to a mere 5 to 10 percent of the overall youth population (“Gay and Transgender Youth”, 2010). Unfortunately, 62 percent of LGBT youths have attempted suicide, while only 29 percent of their heterosexual counterparts have done so (“Gay and Transgender Youth”, 2010). With LGBT teenagers often discriminated against, there is high social regulation for their community. In 2007, 86 percent of gay and lesbian students reported being verbally harrassed at school based on their sexual orientation (“Gay and Transgender Youth”, 2010). Suffering from high levels of discrimination, LGBT teenagers have less people to turn to, resulting in low social integration. With 31 percent of gay and transgender students receiving no response from staff members when they report incidents of violence and harrassment at school, LGBT teenagers are less likely to be supported, and thereby less likely to be integrated within the society. On another note, LGBT teens are more likely to end their own lives 8.4 times more than when not rejected by their families (“Gay and Transgender Youth”, 2010). This demonstrates that if levels of social integration were higher, and the LGBT teenagers were accepted by their families, then they would less likely be willing to commit suicide.

The third group, the Amish, can be categorized into a different sociological suicide group. According to a 1903 New York Times article, a 22-year old Amish farmer by the name of S.J. Shrock hanged himself. The article reads that ‘No motive for the deed is known, as he was wealthy and popular” (“An Amish Suicide”, 2008). The Amish society, with almost “100% employment, low alcohol and drug use, and marked by a strong sense of identity,” seem to display traits of mechanical solidarity (“An Amish Suicide”, 2008). Centered around religion and family, the Amish seem to have high social regulation and integration. The exceptional suicide highlighted in the article can represent that of an altruistic suicide. Perhaps Shrock could have been engaging in optional altruistic suicide, in which he simply ended his own life because it was honorary or prestigious to do so in his society (Durkheim 1951, 223). However, the article does not mention any of those details, and based on the Amish society resembling mechanical solidarity — one with high regulation and integration — it can be safe to deduce that this suicide is categorized as altruistic.

Finally, lottery winners exemplify the fourth Durkheimian suicide group: anomic. Many lottery winners experience what is dubbed as a “curse” (Chan, 2016). With the sudden transformation in their societal status, lottery winners are thrust upon a new environment — one where they do not know how they can manage their newly found money. Whether it is going broke after using up all the wealth or witnessing changes in personal relationships, such winners face tremendous stress with the sudden changes (Chan, 2016). As Durkheim puts, anomic suicide “results from man’s activity’s lacking regulation and his consequent sufferings” (1951, 258). Because the lottery ticket suddenly provides excessive wealth, the individual does not understand how to manage the money — on how to play a role in his new environment, resulting in distress. One’s needs are not “sufficiently proportioned to [one’s] means” (Durkheim 1951, 246), and therefore causes internal turmoil. Richard Lustig, the only lottery winner listed as a counterexample in the Time article, advises that “the key to staying happy” after winning the lottery “is to hire a good financial planner and a good accountant after paying off all debts.” He continues on to say that those “horror stories” of people going from riches to rags is “because it’s usually from people who have never had that kind of money before in their lives” (Chan, 2016). With low social regulation following the great amount of financial power suddenly obtained, and with high integration with the personal situation they are in, individuals not acustomed to face such changes will ultimately become distressed, potentially leading to anomic suicide. On the other hand, for those like Lustig, who had been both wealthy and poor having won the lottery seven times, the anomy is not there (Chan, 2016). With experience and knowledge on how to manage the money (with a “good financial planner”), there is no conflict to drive him to suicide.

In conclusion, based upon Durkheim’s key factor of social structure consisting of regulation and integration, we can clearly see how each of the two factors can play a role in individual suicides depending on its spectrum — low or high. Any of the extremes have been found to result in suicide. Connections of Durkheimian suicide categories to the real world are visible when taken into examination through the four key groups — veterinarians, homeless LGBT teenagers, the Amish, and lottery winners.

Teen suicide is on the rise. The rates of teen suicide have gone up rapidly in the past two decades. Studies have shown that there are various reasons as to why the rates of teen suicide have gone up. Teen suicide is usually done by those between the ages of 13-19. Suicide is a tough subject especially when it’s done by the young people in this generation. When it comes to the current society there is more pressure on teens to live up to a specific standard. Bullying also plays a huge role in teen suicides. Substance abuse may contribute to the death of young people.

In the 21st century pressure is everywhere. Especially when it comes to the young people. The need or desire to be “perfect” usually implemented within the minds of young ones through social media. When it comes to fitting societies standards, teens (who still don’t have fully developed brains) think that they need to follow what society says. If that means gaining a thigh gap or dropping ten pounds, regardless many teens feel as if they do not fit within the standards. When they have this feeling of not belonging or emptiness there’s a sense of “why am I here”. When teens feel they can’t fit in they feel as if there’s no purpose to life. Many teen suicides are associated with the lack of self confidence and feelings of “not fitting the image” that society has drawn up for them.

Bullying is usually the main cause of many teen suicides. In any form bullying is wrongs. It drives innocent people to do crazy things such as take their own lives. Whether it’s cyber bullying or in person bullying, there are huge impacts. Bullying can be name calling, fighting, tormenting, and even in some cases threatening. Many teen suicides are usually caused by bullying. Many people usually reach their breaking point and that may be suicide. Bullies usually don’t take into account how words and actions can hurt. It’s until later that the bullies realize that they’ve done damage. Bullying causes lots of mental and emotional problems that may result in teen suicides. Many victims usually show signs of being bullied but until it’s too late no one really realizes.

Studies have shown that many teens commit suicide through drugs. When a teen has the opportunity to abuse a drug with the feeling of “not existing” they use the drug to commit suicide. Many teen suicides have been caused by drug overdosing or exaggerating the amount of any drug given. “Popping pills” is one of the most common ways many teens get the chance to overuse a drug. Simple supplements such as Tylenol can be taken in large amounts which is abuse of a drug. When this drug is taken more than needed it starts to mess with the insides of the body, soon vital organs begin to shut down. When any drug is taken it alters the brain and when large amounts are taken the brain is a bigger target be be affected. Substance abuse causes impulsiveness which sometimes can lead to teen suicide.

Teen suicides have been caused by a number of different things. It’s hard to be exact about what truly causes the impulsive acts of many teens. It could be due to drugs abuse, lack of fitting in, or even bullying. The human brain is not fully developed until the early 20s. Many teens do not understand the real consequences behind suicide. If teens have the opportunity to do something they usually will regard potential problems that may follow. Teen suicide is a large issue that has been increased as the years go by.

Suicide continues to be a serious public health issue across the world. Reporting and portrayal of suicidal behavior in the media may have a potential to negatively influence and encourage suicidal acts to predisposed teens when exposed to such stimuli. Evidence continues to accumulate on the significant impact of media coverage on suicide ideation. Ayers et al. (2017) conducted a quasi-experimental study to find out if there is an increase in suicide search after the release of ​13 Reasons Why​. They discovered that there is an increase of 900,000 to 1.5 million searches related to suicide. Dating between March 31, 2017 and April 18, 2017 phrases like “how to kill yourself” and “how to commit suicide” surged by 15% to 44% in Google Trends. Moreover, the method used in presenting suicide content in media has a responsibility in raising warnings to its audience. Younger people are more susceptible to the influence of what they see.

In addition to this, the consistent media coverage of suicide is also seen as a trigger to increase suicide ideation. To answer the query, this essay will examine 1.) how graphic depiction of suicide in modern media exert a negative influence on its audience, 2.) media’s responsibility in portraying suicide contents in modern media, 3.) mass media imitation theories- werther effect and papageno effect. Furthermore, prior studies and researches will be used to support the topics being stated in the essay but some of the evidence to date is very indirect and not fully satisfactory which require more room for further analysis in the future. It just feels a little bit wordy. Maybe try to restructure to something like: Moreover, the exposure to suicidal behavior in the media may have the potential to encourage suicidal acts to predisposed teens.

First, modern media such as television and movies have the capabilities to offer a well-intentioned message about mental health, but some experts say that this can also trigger as a model to predisposed teen to a larger context. In addition, the media can have a potential to misinform the public about suicide. It can be dangerous if the reported suicide is glorified and sensationalized. Giving the impression that suicide is simply triggered by daily stressors like problems at work, school, or relationship instead of diving deeper into possible triggers like mental illness and/or substance abuse. In a critical review by Jane Pirkis and colleagues in 2010, they found 47 studies that are associated between presentation of suicide in entertainment media and suicidal behavior were identified. Film and Television has the highest association. In total of 27 studies stated that most of the film and television portrayals of suicide and actual suicidal behavior exist and concluded that these platforms may impose a negative influence on its viewers. Next in line is music with 19 studies stating that two thirds of these given evidence suggest that depiction of suicide in songs and actual suicidal behavior exist. Lastly, a single study in plays found that fictional play about suicide has no impact on its potential audience members. The large amount of studies implying that television and film has a high-level influence that expose explicit details discussing suicide can affect a predisposed teen poses a problem that deserves attention.

Second, every media creator has a responsibility to raise awareness in creating censorship and adhere guidelines before showing contents including suicide. In 2008, the World Health Organization developed a set of guidelines for media professionals to decrease the number of suicide imitation in their material. These guidelines include: “Detailed discussion of the method used in a given completed or attempted suicide should be avoided, because a step-by-step description may prompt vulnerable people to copy the act” (p. 8). The goal of these guidelines is to make sure that they warn their audience to not repeat or copy the way they portrayed suicide in the scene. Giving a warning to an audience to an incoming unpleasant stimulus can help them decrease the startle response. Unfortunately, trigger warnings are not yet researched and proven its effectiveness to reduce intrusive symptoms such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The only research conducted to trigger warnings is focused on higher education and if they should be used in classrooms or not.

Lastly, the theories that correlates to the relationship between media portrayal of suicide and suicidal behaviors can be a factor that is significant in the social construction of reality for the vulnerable audience. Mass media imitation theory suggest that if portraying suicide can affect an individual negatively, it can also work the other way around (positive model). Werther Effect, introduced by David Phillips, indicates a negative and provoking effect of media portrayal. On the other hand, Papageno Effect is proposed by Niederkrotenhaler and colleagues, it is the effect of mass media that can present positive alternatives to suicide crisis. According to a systematic review conducted by Merike Sisask and Airi Varnik (2010) about media roles in suicide prevention, they stated that, “based on the results of the current systematic review more research is available about provocative outcomes of irresponsible media reports inducing an increase in suicidal behaviors after publicized suicide stories than for protective effects” (p. 3). Mass media can demonstrate the danger of suicide contagion. Creators should consider how their copying approach may create the same vulnerability and danger to young viewers instead of imposing a positive message to them.

In conclusion, there is a subsequent effect in portraying suicide in mass media contents. Parents and educators should be aware of the increasingly larger youth audience that is expose to a larger amount of public characterization of suicide. Suicide is a dimensional issue. There could be multiple causes and that includes mental illnesses that may have been unconsciously neglected. To the media creators, be aware of considering preventive guidelines in reporting or showing deaths by suicide to avoid misleading the viewers and end up glorifying this tragedy. Use the story to inform and educate your audience about the causes and treatments they that are available. This should encourage producers and editors to remain aware of their potentially influential role in future suicides.

Reference

1. Ayers, J. W., Althouse, B. M., Leas, E. C., Dredze, M., & Allem, J. (2017). Internet searches for suicide following the release of 13 Reasons Why. JAMA Internal Medicine, 177(10), 1527. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.3333
2. International Association for Suicide Prevention. (2000). Preventing Suicide: A Resource for Media Professionals. World Health Organization (WHO), 8.
3. Pirkis, J., Blood, W., Sutherland, G., & Currier, D. (2018). Suicide and the entertainment media. Mindframe, 3-4.
4. Sisask, M., & Värnik, A. (2012). Media Roles in Suicide Prevention: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 9(1), 3. doi:10.3390/ijerph9010123

Suicide is an emotional and distressing issue which has been very prominent in social media and in the news in recent weeks and months. But are the British government doing enough to prevent it and to provide support to people who are at risk. Suicide is a growing problem that can affect people no matter what their age, gender, race or class. Suicide is one of the worst and most upsetting causes of death in not just in Britain but in the world, it has been becoming a problem for a long time and seems to be getting worse we go on. Suicide doesn’t only effect adults but young people too. But for young men it is one of the biggest causes of death.

Firstly, an issue which is becoming very worrying is the age of people committing suicide is getting younger and younger and what the government are doing to stop this from happening, teenage suicides are rising but males are higher. “15-24 year olds rates increased by 52.7% this is the highest it has been since 2007”. This is a big problem for the country because young people are starting to find out what suicide is because it is happening to people they know, and they don’t fully realise what it means. They also often find that it is difficult to find help when they require it. The waiting list for psychological help in some areas is as much as a year and even then it is only available for a short time. Schools and education authorities have a responsibility to help and support young people in need. There is also an argument for greater education in classrooms about mental health.

Another worry is that there are too many suicides every day, there are 123 suicides per day on average in the UK, Men in the UK are 3 times more likely to commit suicide than woman and often choose methods which are sure to succeed. Men aged 45-49 are particularly at risk. There were just under 7000 suicides in the UK in 2018. This is a massive number. Society should be making every effort to work out why there are so many deaths due to suicide and doing everything it can to solve the problem.

My solution for the prevention of suicide is that the UK appoint a minister for suicide prevention, this shows that the UK are trying to solve this problem as quick as possible , and this has helped because suicide rates has decreased since this happening . However they should ask the Republic of Ireland for help because their suicide rates are at their lowest since 1989. The UK have also introduced a plan to stop this with the main focus on social media and technology. They have invested £25 Million pounds into this plan to reduce the deaths by one of Britain’s biggest killers.

In the Roman plays it (suicide) is justified by History; and for the others the audience is asked to exchange for a moment its Christian morality for the more primitive pagan sentiment, a less noble feeling, doubtless, but one which is perfectly intelligible to all men because it is instinctive. This, then, is the true attitude of Shakespeare towards suicide. It is an attitude which implies no moral theory, which has, in fact, nothing to do with morality, being determined wholly by the laws of art. (Hanford, 1912, p.396)

To a partial extent I agree with Hanford’s statement that Shakespeare’s decisions for portrayal of suicide are choices driven by history, storytelling and rooted in art. When solely examining Shakespeare’s female suicides, there is strong evidence of the suicides being justified by both history and art, however, there are arguably moments in his dramas when a modern audience is very obviously encouraged to question the morality of the circumstances of female death. When raised in a current context, it is paramount to take into account, Hanford’s statement was made in 1912 and therefore a modern analysis, more inclusive of moral questioning, will reflect changes in society.

When exploring the role of female suicide within Shakespeare, it is important to consider the historical societal developments that impact analysis; it is equally crucial to be conscious of the social and religious beliefs of the audience Shakespeare was writing for. Though his intent was to create drama via suicide, arguably his dramatic presentations also reflect multiple attitudes towards suicide. In Shakespearean times, suicide was regarded as ‘self murder’ and both church and state regarded the illegal act as a mortal sin (Suicide in Shakespeare’s Plays & Elizabethan Times, 2020). In Elizabethan society, God’s command ‘Thou shalt not kill’ included ‘self-murder’; ‘Shakespeare knew this well and his dramatic instinct bade him attribute these dominant sentiments to the greater number of his Christian characters’ (Hanford, 1912, p.382).

These attitudes offer explanation as to why Shakespeare often chose settings for his plays that were distanced from England to foreign settings; in my examples, Romeo and Juliet is set in Italy, Julius Caesar in Rome. Removing the stories from England, and relocating them, eased the discomfort caused by the suicides and gave room for Elizabethan audiences to feel sympathy, rather than condemn the suicide victim as they would in their own society. However, even during Shakespeare’s lifetime, people were beginning to challenge ‘religious rejection of suicide… suicide was becoming more exposed and more tolerated in the early modern era and literature followed suit’ (Zamani and Abbasi, 2015, p.1150). The societal upheaval during the Renaissance called controversial issues into question and Shakespeare’s portrayals of suicide highlight those moral and ethical disputes.

Upon analysis, it is crucial to note that presentation of suicide in Shakespeare’s Roman plays contrasts to Elizabethan moral codes; ‘in the Roman plays generally, the characters speak of suicide from the Roman point of view, a point of view which would have been brought home by the narrative of Plutarch even if Shakespeare had not been familiar with it from other sources’ (Hanford, 1912, p.385); for Romans, suicide was valued as an act of honour. Hanford highlights how Shakespeare’s suicides are presented differently within the Roman plays, regardless of his personal attitude. His approach is appropriate for the plays’ setting; however, this sense of honour is also an attitude to suicide that the Renaissance period would have examined.

This essay seeks to explore the subtleties in how Shakespeare uses female suicide in his plays and what we can learn from their presentations: was Shakespeare emphasizing some moral theory, or were his words driven by art, as argued by Hanford? Within Shakespeare’s plays, there are notably six female suicides, in chronological order: Juliet, Portia, Ophelia, Goneril, Lady Macbeth, and Cleopatra. This essay focuses on the first two female suicides in the tragedies; the focus on Juliet and Portia is not only for conciseness, but because of the contrast between the Christian and Roman portrayals of female suicide; additionally, because their respective suicides are defined, to differing degrees, by their relationships with male protagonists.

By specifically exploring these two female suicides rather than the more widely addressed male tragic heroes, this essay highlights how the act of female suicide coincides with Hanford’s and other critical views on Shakespeare’s use of suicide, but furthermore, often serves a purpose to enhance the plot and character of male counterparts.

Within Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare uses the impulse of suicide in a way that heightens the intensity and passion of love. In one reading, we can identify Juliet’s actions (similar to that of Portia), as being triggered by the male characters, specifically her father and Romeo. Looking at her suicide from a historical patriarchal analysis, the male dominance over her life appears to be the catalyst for her misfortune. Her female lack of autonomy would not have appeared out of the ordinary to an Elizabethan audience in the same way it does to a modern audience. In a modern light, we identify suicide as the result of oppression, but foremost, to convey the intensity of love.

It could alternatively be argued that Juliet’s suicide is a further act of attempting to maintain control over her life; Shakespeare could be subverting the traditional portrayal of a female during the time of writing. Juliet is subject to the male gaze, but continues to challenge it, to the point of death. In the balcony scene, we witness her language show her want for change. Firstly, she suggests to Romeo ‘deny thy father and refuse thy name’ (Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 2.2.37), however in the patriarchal society she does not possess the voice to create change. ‘Juliet can say whatever she wants, but her language has no power to change reality…. because Juliet does not have the power to shape Romeo through her gaze she turns her gaze upon herself, an element she believes she can control’ (Thompson, 2011, p.40); ‘If thou wilt not, be but sworn my love / And I’ll no longer be a Capulet’ (Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 2.2.38-9); a change of name is impossible as she is completely under the control of her father who must approve the marriage. It is evident she understands her absence of power as she continues to consider what Romeo can do with his inherent power via gender.

For Juliet, her death is the only thing she truly has control over, and she recognises this as her power. Juliet uses her life to redeem assistance from the friar: ‘If in thy wisdom thou canst give no help, /Do thou but call my resolution wise, / And with this knife I’ll help it presently’ (Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 4.1.53–5). Hawkins (2016), notes, ‘Suicide becomes a reclaiming of oneself from outside forces and desires’. Shakespeare uses the notion of death to give her masculine actions that begin to subvert gender stereotypes. This is continued in her very masculine actual death, in which she stabs herself, in contrast to Romeo taking poison, which was considered easier and therefore a more feminine death. ‘When women touch weapons, often there are special circumstances which account for this unwomanly behaviour’ (van Hoof,2002, p.49); fourteen-year old Juliet completing her suicide with no hesitancy is another example of Shakespeare using suicide to subvert gender constructs and heighten the drama.

Both Juliet’s feigned and real death are interesting contributions to how we understand her role. ‘Juliet sees her feigned death as a means of rebellion and escape, but her actual death can be viewed as the means by which she is punished for her rebellion. Nonetheless, her actual death is also the catalyst that leads her to be accepted by society.’ (Thompson, 2011, p.44); as highlighted by Thompson, both demonstrations of her suicide have in common their positive outcomes. Firstly, her feigned death frees her from the forced marriage to Paris and transforms her father’s emotions of seeing her as a disobedient daughter into mourning for his lost child – ‘Alack, my child is dead / And with my child my joys are buried’ (Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, 4.5.63-4). Furthermore, she uses ‘suicide’ as an action of rebellion against her father, indicating to the audience her intentions and defiance. Secondly, her real death ignites the ending of conflict between the Capulets and Montagues; ‘The note on which the drama closes is not of reproach but of mingled pity and admiration’.

The Underlying Causes of Teen Suicide

People everywhere are undereducated about teen suicide, more people should be up to date on the suicide subject. Suicide is not a soft topic and a lot of people do not understand why teens and many other older people commit suicide. Suicide takes away the lives of many young teens. The problem about teen suicide is that no one knows whats happening in a persons personal life, theyre are some people that have a hard time taking other peoples feelings and lives into consideration. Having a lot of stress on you as a teenager can lead kids to end up commiting suicide. Being a teen in this generation has a lot of stress being put on them and it can be hard to handle or it might get too much for them and they feel suicide is the better thing to do when they have no one to talk to or relieve their problems.

Teens all across the world are having so much stress put on them and many actually commit suicide or even attempting and failing. The ones that do not attempt suicide end up having severe mental challenges. There are far more suicides than there are homicides. The suicide to homocides ratio has went up double from 2008 to 2010. Many teens give off signs of them trying to or even them looking into killing themselves and no one says anything about it. Some signs are them talking about wanting to die or them killing themselves, looking for a way for them to kill themselves, talking about being hopeless and having no will to live, increasing use of drugs and/or alcohol, sleeping pattern changes drastically, isolating themselves, etc. Teens that are more at risk of commiting suicide never tell anyone what theyre feeling and eventually stop opening up to everyone in general.

School Stress and Its Impact on Teen Mental Health

Stress over school is not helping any of the kids issues either. More kids are doing better in school then they are with their mental and physical health. Grades and getting into major league colleges are more important to some of these teens because of how much they want to please their parents and be one of the best in the school. In Ohio there have been 40,000 students screened for suicide risk and depression and hundreds of kids have been linked to services. Teenagers spend a lot of time in school and with their teachers and peers and that can take a toll on their mental health too. All teachers and staff are supposed to have training in suicide prevention to atop it from happening but most students do not feel comfortable talking to their teahers about suicide unless they form bonds with them and most teachers do not have the time to talk to a student and comfort them. Students health is the main problem that barely anyone thinks about, yes education is important but loading them with stress to get them to work better is not helping them want to actually get it all done. Stress lessens the chance of some kids doing their best.

Between 2007 and 2017 the second leading cause of death is suicide while car crashes are number one in the age group 10-24. “Suicide attempts by the young have quadrupled over six years, and that is likely an undercount,” said Henry A. Spiller, director of the Central Ohio Poison Center, who called the trend “devastating.” In most cases families tend to keep the attempted suicides and even the suicide reasons a secret and do not like to talk about it but if the reasons get discussed then theyre is a higher chance of other kids that are going through the same thing will be able to get help without feeling judged by their family.

The Role of Social Media and Technology in Teen Suicide

So many people blame teen suicide on their cell phones and social media usage, cyberbullying can take a toll on a self concious teen but its not just the cell phones and social media that makes kids commit suicide. Between having to have perfect grades and a perfect life, kids also have to have a picture perfect life to show off to everyone so they are more liked as a person. Social media makes people think they have to be like the model they see on tv or even the star sports player they see winning all of the games and living the “perfect life”. The amount of sleep because of the cell phones is being blamed on kids being depressed and having suicidal thoughts. Suicide rates in women have been on the rise for years after 2000, in girls 15 to 19. There are steps to helping a young adult get through their depression and try to get rid of suicidal thoughts and attempts. The steps are express your concern for the person, really listen to what the person has to say, maintain the connection between you and the person, be compassionate and express your love and care for the person, trust your judgement if the person says they aren’t having suicidal thoughts take the better judgement and act upon if they are, make sure the person has no way to harm themselves or other people that live with them or are with them often during school. Keeping an eye on your loved ones helps them know that they are not alone in this dark period of their life. They will see someone cares and it will make them see there is more than just bad and negative things in life.

LGBTQ+ Teens: Facing Unique Challenges and Discrimination

The rise in teen suicide isnt just cell phones or social media or even school, teens do not feel accepted in their own families and communities. Teens apart of the LGBTQ+ do not feel accepted by anyone and they feel like a disgrace to their own families. There are families that force being straight on their child and it does not make them happy or even want to have that type of life, teens want to be accepted by their families but a lot of them hide behind their phones and act like a completely person online then they would act in front of their families. It has caused fights in a lot of homes and families because of a child being homosexual or even them being transgender. Teens are not more at risk for suicide by being a part of the LGBTQ. Most of them feel discriminated against or hatred against them for them not being straight. Many of them fear rejection, harassment and threats made to them by people who do not accept them for who they are. Teens that have been bullied on school grounds in the past 12 months identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or were not sure of their sexual identity. Even in a positive school environment teens in the LGB do not feel accepted by their peers. Compared with other students, negative attitudes toward LGB teens may put these youth at increased risk for experiences with unhappiness and violence in their day to day lives and it could have a huge impact on how they live their lives or if them end up commiting suicide. Violence can include behaviors such as bullying, teasing, harassment, and physical assault. The percentage of teens involved with violence with being a part of the LGBTQ+; 10% were threatened or injured with a weapon on school property, 34% were bullied on school property, 28% were bullied electronically, 23% of LGB students who had dated or went out with someone during the 12 months before the survey had experienced sexual dating violence in the prior year, 18% of LGB students had experienced physical dating violence, and 18% of LGB students had been forced to have sexual intercourse at some point in their lives. Teens do not have it easy in general but being a part of the LGB doesn’t make their lives any easier.

The abuse and violence used on teens in their lives can affect their grades to a huge extent, their grades can go sinking down in a quick pace and it could be hard to tell on why their grades are going down but not everyone knows what happens to a student behind closed doors of their own homes or even in the school. Not all schools let their students know that they’re in a safe zone and some of the students do not believe that the school is a safe zone because of incidents that have happened to them in the school either by the staff or students. Schools do not regularize kids being a part of the LGB and it makes kids not feel accepted at school, you see straight couples all over the schools but rarely any LGB couples and that could be a factor to the students not feeling accepted and their attendance rates going down at school and them barely showing up to their classes when they have to. Some classes could even make a kid feel unaccepted by teachers or students saying unapproving things about the LGBTQ group. Parents are not all supportive of their children that are confused about their sexuality or know that they are not straight. Parents need to have an open heart and mind to their child not being straight. How parents engage with their teen can have a huge impact on their child’s current and future mental and physical health. Supportive and accepting parents can help their children or even other people’s children cope with the challenges of being an LGB teen. On the other hand, unsupportive parents who react negatively to learning that their daughter or son is LGB can make it harder for their teen to thrive and make it harder for them to be happy in life and want a better life for themselves and their future. Teens that do not have a good relationship with their parents because they are not accepted into the family being part of the LGB end up having relationship problems in the future and end up not wanting to have anything to do with their family and leaving them stranded with having to find their own way around their problems.

Parental Influence and Support in Preventing Teen Suicide

There is a high percentage of teens who end up getting kicked out of their family’s house because they are not accepted and they don’t abide by their parents so it results in them getting kicked up and having nowhere to go or even them temporary living with a different family member or even some of them end up getting put into foster care or end up homeless and result to staling and or drug dealing to make their meets to save themselves from having to go back to a mentally abusive place. Parental rejection has been linked to depression, use of drugs and alcohol, and risky sexual behavior among teens. Steps a parent can take to make their child feel more accepted are talk and listen, provide support, stay involved, and be proactive in their lives and stay positive for them. Parents have easy access to many organizations and online information on how to be their for their LGB child and how they can support them in any way they need and even their friends could use an extra set of supportive people in their lives.