MDS 4983

Kenzie Hartwig
@01407343
MDS 4983
Gregg Sansone
April 27, 2015
Suicide in America
Deaths in America are rising every year, it has become one of the most
talked about statistic in the United States. This occurs for many reasons, and
those reasons are all within the physical mentality of the human brain. Each
person has his or her own mind, what occurs in the human brain can be
magical, but also extremely terrifying. In the year 2012 more than 40,000
Americans took their own lives according to the American Association of
Suicidology. Suicide in America is a serious problem for more than one
reason. This paper will discuss why teenagers in America chose to take their
own life, what the statistics are, how teenagers accomplish this and who is
more likely to commit suicide.
The rates for suicide are highest in May specifically on Monday, when
these incidents occur. Wyoming and Montana are the two states in which the
suicide rate is the highest; this is related to the guns there which are much
more effective than pills. Guns are proven to be used in more than half of all
successful suicides. The ones who suffer from depression are, unsurprisingly
the ones who are at the most risk. Studies show that the ones over 75 years
of age are historically the ones who will most likely try and take their own
lives especially if they are ill or feel alone. However, as of late studies show
that middle aged adults are the ones at risk. In 2012 the suicide rates for 4554 year olds was 20 per 100,000 the highest rate of any age group. The
middle years can be stressful because it allows the mind to conclude that
childhood dreams and youthful ambitions will never be fulfilled. Between
men and women, females are the most likely to kill themselves. They
succeed four times as often as men do. Men favor bloodier methods of
death, being more prone to use guns whereas one third of women do so.
Women are more likely ask for help when mentally unstable, overall they are
two and a half times more likely to start medication for their chemical
malfunction. Whites are nearly three times as likely as African- Americans to
take their own life. Blacks are five times more possible to be taken with a
gun than to kill themselves with one for white it is the exact opposite. Data
1

MDS 4983

from 48 states suggest that military veterans are even more prone to
suicide; data shows that 30 out of 100,000 veterans kill themselves each
year. The reason being that many of these soldiers find it hard to overcome
the trauma they experience in combat. Some treatments, such as antidepressants are often quite effective, more than 20 studies show that when
anti-depressants are available fewer people take their own life. Between
1991 and 1996 Swedes swallowed 240% more anti-depressants dropping the
suicide rate to 19%. Which somewhat hard to prove a causal link, other
studies suggest that certain anti-depressant medication lead young people
to think more about suicide.
Suicide among the youth of Northern America continues to be a serious
problem. Each year thousands of teenagers commit suicide. Suicide is the
third leading cause of death for 15-to-24 year-olds and the sixth leading
cause of death for 5-to-14-year-olds. Teenagers experience strong emotions
of stress, confusion, self-doubt, pressure to succeed, financial uncertainty,
and other fears whilst growing up. Some teenagers, divorce, the formation
of a new family with step-parents and step-siblings, or possibly moving to a
new community can be unsettling and intensifies self-doubt in youthful
minds. Suicide for teenagers is a solution for their problems and stress.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, scientific evidence has
proven that almost all people who take their own lives have a diagnosable
mental or substance abuse disorder. The majority has more than one
disorder, in other words the feelings that often lead to suicide are highly
treatable. U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher, recently announced his Call
to Action to Prevent Suicide, 1999, and initiative intended to increase public
awareness, promote intervention and enhance research. In 1996 more
teenagers and young adults died from suicide than from cancer, heart
disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia and influenza, and chronic
lung disease combined. Also, in 1996 suicide was the second leading cause
of death among college students, the third-leading cause of death among 15
to 24 year olds and the fourth-leading cause of death aged 10 to 14 years of
age. Common symptom signs for suicide include extreme personality
changes, loss of interest in activities that used to be enjoyable, significant
loss or gain in appetite, difficulty falling asleep or wanting to sleep all day,
fatigue or loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, withdrawal from
family and friends, neglect of personal appearance or hygiene, sadness,
irritability, or indifference, having trouble concentration, extreme anxiety or
panic, poor school performance, hallucination or unusual beliefs, and
aggressive or destructive behavior. Sadly many of these signs are unseen.
2

MDS 4983

And while hurting from one of these symptoms does not necessarily mean
that one is suicidal, it is always best to express openly with a loved or
cherished one who has experienced one or more of these behaviors. A sad
fact about those who commit suicide spoke about it before hand; only 33
percent to 50 percent were identified by their doctors as having a mental
illness. At the time of their untimely death only 15 percent of suicide victims
were actually in treatment at the time of their death. One third of teenagers
who die by their own hand have made a previous suicide attempt it should
be dually noted that while more females attempt suicide, but more males are
successful in completing their attempt.
Eleven percent of young adolescents have a depressive disorder by the
time they turn 18 according to the National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent
Supplement (NCS-A) girls are more prone to the emotions of depression
compared to boys. The risk for depression increases as teenagers get older.
According to the WHO (World Health Organization), major depressive
disorders are the leading cause of disabilities in Americans age 15 to 44.
Normal behaviors can vary from on childhood stage to the next, and it can be
very difficult to tell whether a child is experiencing them or if it is just a
temporary phase. Many people believed that could not get depression,
however teenagers with depression are often dismissed as being moody or
difficult. It was not known that having depression can increase a persons risk
for heart disease; research over the past two decades has shown that
depression and heart disease is a common cohort and what is worse each
can lead to the other. Now that depression is an important risk factor for
heart disease along with high blood pressure and cholesterol. A study
conducted in Baltimore, MD found that 1,551 people who were free of heart
disease, those who had a past with depression were 4 times more likely than
those who did not to suffer from a heart attack within the next 14 or so
years. It is not unusual for young people to experience the blues or to feel
down in the dumps occasionally. Young adult hood is an unsettling time with
many physical, emotional, psychological and social changes that are
associated with this stage of life. When things go wrong at school or in the
home, adolescents often overreact. Unrealistic goals in academic, social or
family expectations create a strong overwhelming sense of rejections and
can lead to deep disenchantment. To make matters even worse, teens today
are now bombarded with conflicting messages from parents, friends, and
society. Teens see what life has to offer both the good and the bad through
the internet, television, school and in magazines. They are also forced to
learn about life threatening diseases even if they are not sexually active or
3

MDS 4983

using drugs. Young adults need guidance from an upheld figure in their life, a
family member or trusted friend could guide them to an understanding about
all the emotional and physical changes they are experiencing. When a
teenagers mood disrupts their ability to function on an everyday basis it
may indicate a severe emotional or mental illness such as adolescent
depression.
In 2011 teenagers were surveyed ninth to twelfth grade the data table
shows that the total amount of adolescents who made a plan about how they
would attempt suicide in Texas is quite disturbing out of a total of 4,170,
13.2 of them admitted to making a plan out of those young adults 2,078
were female and 2,082 were male. Texan teen suicide statistics in 2011 was
10.8 percent which is 3,380 teens 12.9 percent of those are female and 8.4
percent are male. 1,733 females took their own life in the year 2011 and
1,638 boys committed suicide four years ago. The adolescents who
attempted suicide that resulted in an injury, poisoning, or overdose that had
to be treated by a doctor or nurse are as follows, a total of 3,379 teenagers
attempted suicide out of those teenagers 1,734 were female and 1,637 were
male. The encouraging thing about these statistics is that even though 4,170
teenagers make a plan about suicide only 3,380 actually attempt suicide.
The numbers could be higher but at least they are not as high as they could
be. These surveys are conducted every two years and determine the
prevalence of these health risk manners. The purpose is to monitor priority
health risk behaviors that contributes to the leading causes of death,
disability, and social problems among youth in the United States of America.
When adolescents are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above they
have an extremely hard time believing that their situation and outlook can
improve. Professional treatment can have a dramatic impact on their lives,
and can put them back on track bringing them hope for the future. Suicide
in teenagers is not always planned, sometimes depression in a person can
lead to suicide. Many however, at times, impulsively attempt suicide in a
moment of feeling desperately upset. In situations like break ups, a big fight,
an unintentional pregnancy, being outed by someone else, or being
victimized in any way can cause someone to feel desperately upset. More
than often situations like these acts as a final straw. Some teenagers who
attempt suicide do not mean to always die they attempt a life threatening
ordeal as a way to express a deep emotional pain. They cannot always
express the way they feel so, for them, attempting suicide feels like the only
way to get their message across. Unfortunately, the ones who did not mean
to kill themselves end up dead or critically ill.
4

MDS 4983

These troubles that teenagers experience on a daily basis could better

deal with them if they have at least one person who truly believes in them. A
person who wants what is best for them and who they can divulge. Any
person copes better when the keep in sight and mind that most problems are
temporary and can be overcome. When teenagers are struggling, it is always
encouraged that they tell someone, to surround themselves with caring and
positive influences and to ask someone to help them figure out a solution to
the problem they are facing. Another great tool for teenagers who are having
suicidal thoughts would to work with a counselor or therapist if their
problems are getting worse, or if they feel as if they can no longer cope with
the situation. Trained professionals can provide emotional support and can
help build skills for dealing with problems. Another conclusion to solving
depressive thoughts and stopping teens from taking their own lives is
support groups. These groups provide a stable environment with caring
adults and youth that will talk through problems and share concerns.
Teenagers should not always feel alone when going through certain stages in
life. If there are solutions that are readily available it is all we can do to stop
teen suicide in America. To conclude this research assignment more female
teenagers commit suicide each year opposed to males. Rationally and
statistically this makes sense because girls have a higher emotional
connection with the world around them, and when their world is turned
upside down they feel lost and alone which leaves them with a deep sense
of emptiness resulting in suicidal thoughts.

Attempted Suicide
(one or more times during the 12 months before the survey)
Texas, High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2011
Find out if there is a statistical difference between females and males. Select them, then
click the button. Otherwise select them, then press enter.

COMPARE TWO COLUMNS >>

Sex
Year
2011

Total

Compare to

Compare to

Female

Male

Female

10.8 (9.712.1)
3,380

12.9 (11.015.1)
1,733

Male

8.4 (7.010.2)
1,638

MDS 4983

Attempted Suicide That Resulted In An Injury, Poisoning, Or Overdose

That Had To Be Treated By A Doctor Or Nurse
(during the 12 months before the survey)
Texas, High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2011
Find out if there is a statistical difference between females and
males. Select them, then click the button. Otherwise select them,
then press enter.

Compare to Female

Compare to Male

COMPARE TWO COLUMNS >>

Sex
Year
2011

Total

Female

3.5 (2.84.3)
3,379

Male

4.6 (3.56.1)
1,734

2.2 (1.43.4)
1,637

Made A Plan About How They Would Attempt Suicide

(during the 12 months before the survey)
Texas, High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2011
Find out if there is a statistical difference between females and males. Select them, then
click the button. Otherwise select them, then press enter.

COMPARE TWO COLUMNS >>

Sex
Year
2011

Compare to
Female

Total

Female

13.2 (12.214.2)
4,170

16.9 (15.418.4)
2,078

Compare to
Male
Male

9.6 (8.211.2)
2,082

Works Cited
Lyness, Arcy. "Suicide." KidsHealth - the Web's Most Visited Site about Children's Health. The
Nemours Foundation, 1 July 2014. Web. 28 Apr. 2015.
<http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/mental_health/suicide.html#>.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30
May 2014. Web. 28 Apr. 2015. <http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/index.htm>.
http://nccd.cdc.gov/youthonline/App/Results.aspx?
TT=A&OUT=0&SID=HS&QID=QQ&LID=TX&YID=2011&LID2=&YID2=&COL=S&ROW1=&RO
W2=&HT=C1&LCT=&FS=S1&FR=R1&FG=G1&FSL=&FRL=&FGL=&PV=&TST=False&C1=&C
2=&QP=G&DP=1&VA=CI&CS=Y&SYID=&EYID=&SC=DEFAULT&SO=ASC

MDS 4983
"Depression In Teens." Mental Health America. Web. 28 Apr. 2015.
<http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/conditions/depression-teens>.
"Suicide Rate for Minorities Much Lower, Census Data Indicate." News Reporting and the
Internet. Web. 28 Apr. 2015. <http://students.com.miami.edu/netreporting/?page_id=1285>.
"Youth Suicide Statistics - Parent Resource Program." Parent Resource Program. Web. 28 Apr.
2015. <http://jasonfoundation.com/prp/facts/youth-suicide-statistics/>.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 9 July
2014. Web. 28 Apr. 2015. <http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/index.htm>.
Web. 28 Apr. 2015.
<http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/yrbs/pdf/trends/us_suicide_trend_yrbs.pdf>.