What Are the Causes of Adolescent Suicide?

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 24. Economic crises, and the toll that they take on youths and their families, are part of the cause. However, other reasons factor into adolescent suicides.

Severe Bullying

• Physical harassment and cyber-bullying are major factors in why some adolescents commit suicide. The reasons for bullying often involve children's race, sexual orientation or because they have a physical or mental handicap.

Family Difficulties

• Another cause of teen suicide is family problems. For example, the teen may not get along with his parents because they set unrealistic expectations for him to achieve. They might pressure him to become a doctor like his father or make straight A's all the time.

Rejection

• When a teen is rejected by her peers because she didn't come from a socially acceptable background or because she isn't pretty enough, the resulting depression, if left unchecked, can prompt a suicide. Other examples of rejection include being romantically spurned or being turned down by the college of her choice.

Low Self-Esteem

• Some adolescents are successful in school, have good friends and a supportive family, but they may still have low-self esteem because they feel everything has to be done perfectly. Sometimes they overachieve to cover up their pain and insecurity; conversely, if they fail, they often consider suicide to cover their disappointment.

Solutions

• If a parent notices a change in a child's sleep patterns, eating habits, interest in school or social activities, he should talk with the child about what's going on in his life. If necessary, the parent should seek outside professional help.