Teen Suicide

Seventeen-year-old Mike Emme drove a '67 Ford Mustang. It was bright yellow. He had worked really hard to restore the old car. A gifted student, Mike was happy, helpful, and a young man with a future as bright and cheerful as his car. Friends called him "Mustang Mike." Mike was a kind and considerate young man. He had ordered a brand new transmission for his Mustang, but canceled it and bought two used ones from a salvage yard instead so one of his classmates could get his car running also. Mike learned how to remove a tracheotomy tube from his handicapped niece in case an emergency should arise. He learned sign language to communicate with her. They would sign songs when they were together. Mike Emme was a great individual, but his life took a tragic toll when his girlfriend had terminated his summer love abruptly when she announced her engagement to someone else, on August 23. On September 8, in a move that stunned all who knew him, Mike slipped into the front seat of his yellow Mustang, closed the door, and shot himself. The note read, "I wish I could have learned to hate. Don't blame yourselves. Mom and Dad, I love you. Remember I'll always be with you. " It was signed, "Love, Mike.11: 45." At 11:52, his parents and brother pulled into the driveway behind Mike's bright yellow Mustang seven minutes too late (A summarized version of the story "For the Love of a Child" in The Third Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul by Thea Alexander.)

Teen Suicides are an increasing social issue. Many believe that teen years are the best years of an individual's life. For this reason, they are confused as to why a person would want to take their own life, especially that soon, when they really haven't lived their life to the fullest. "Suicides are the third leading cause of death. More teens have died from suicides than from Cancer, heart disease, HIV, AIDS, birth defects, pneumonia, stroke, and chronic lung disease combined." ( Casey, 93). "Suicidal behavior first creeps into our statistical tables at around the age of 12 and rises steadily through the teen years and beyond." (Chiles, 29) "Approximately 30,000 people of all ages kill themselves annually in the United States. There are 73 people each day who commit suicide and 16 of those are teens. Suicides occur when people perceive themselves as having an irresolvable life crisis." (Carlson, 202).

Despite what others think, a day in the life of a teenager is not always pleasant. Many don't stop to consider what type of life the youth is leading outside of every day social contact. Teens are going through a very difficult time. Many teens are trying to face different obstacles, they are trying to establish their identity, they are striving for their independence, and yet they feel helpless in an uncaring world. Is this why they do it? Isn't there something or someone who can help these troubled youth? Because Teen Suicide is more prevalent while the youth are still in the school system, schools should introduce, if not done so already, programs that can help students deal better with their problems that they face continually. Many individuals wonder how they can help these troubled teens. Before anyone can accomplish this great task, one must figure out what type of problems these teens are facing.

There are many underlining social pressures. Friends, even though some may not know, contribute to teen suicides. When a person loses a friend, it may be due to a fight or death of a good friend. Many individuals don't know how to deal with this particular situation. Teens view friends as the only people who can understand them. They feel that their friends know how they feel about certain problems because they have faced them themselves. A break-up in a relationship with a significant other may also lead to teen suicides. This particular person may have really loved this person, as in the case of Mike Emme. Many feel completely at loss when they suffer from a break-up. Teens in this situation may turn to suicide as an easy way out, especially if they have heard of other teens taking their lives also. New friends have the power of new influence. A particular teen may really want to fit in with a particular crowd because he or she views them as "cool." These types of individuals may be risk takers and influence the teen to do something that they would not normally do under normal circumstances. The teen may feel guilty and unwanted afterwards and turn to suicide as an alternative to facing their problems head on.

Believe it or not, peers have a dramatic influence on a person's decision to commit suicide. The people that a particular teen may be around may not accept a person. This teen in turn is lonely and feels unwanted. Mother Teresa once said that, "Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty." in the school system, one can see this social injustice. There are many of youth in the school system who won't accept an individual based on how they look or act. If they are not dressed right, then they usually are not accepted by the "in preppy" crowd. Many teens choose suicide because they are not accepted based on how they act in school. Many are made fun of because they are smart, dumb, or even mean. Even the mean bullies have suicidal urges because many people choose not to be their friends due to the fact that they are afraid of them. When a person isn't included in extra curricular activities such as weekend parties or even conversations, they start to put themselves down. They try to find the faults in themselves that would cause others not to like them. This creates a low self-esteem, which can lead to suicide.

Many teens suffer from conflicts. Families can put a lot of pressure on a teenager, especially if their family is having problems. When a teen's parents decide to get a divorce, the teen may try to blame themselves. Maybe they weren't good enough. Maybe if they were a better student in school, then maybe their parent's wouldn't be going through it. Many teens are angered by not being a part of the decision. They are angered because no one had stopped to ask them how they felt about the divorce. In rage, pity, and guilt, the teen feels that if they were to end their life, then maybe their parents would "wake up," and see how they feel. Yet, this particular teen is hurt in the process. Many times parents pressure a child to live up to certain standards or work harder like another sibling had. Many times this teen cannot handle these pressures. A teen who makes strait A's in school may be an individual who is pressured to be that way from the very beginning. Sometimes the people who society views