The Youth Suicide Crisis

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The aftermath of suicide is devastating, and can be especially traumatic when a youth commits suicide. The issue of youth suicide is an important and sensitive subject that needs to be explored and uncovered. In this essay I will discuss the various reasons why youth (aged 15-24) choose to commit suicide, and what can be done in the future to aid in the prevention of suicide among youth. Suicide occurs as a result of a variety of reasons, some of which are: troubled relationships (family, friends, romantic), social isolation, gender issues, abuse (sexual, physical, emotional, verbal), or mental health problems. In this essay I will argue that suicide should, and can be, a preventable issue in the future, one that many people should be able to avoid if the correct steps are taken to assess and treat the suicidal person before the act is committed.
Suicide is defined as the deliberate act of taking one’s own life. The aim of suicide is to remove oneself from an unpleasant or intolerable situation. This can take many forms, which all depend on the individuals intolerance for the situation they are in. Not only must the individual be intolerant to their situation, but they must also see no end to their suffering. Therefore, what causes a suicide to occur is that the individual can see no hope in their future to ever rise out of their unbearable situation. When it comes to youth, taking their own life is especially troubling because of their lack of life experience, or the small amount of time they’ve even existed. Yet suicide is on the rise among youth, as the Canadian Mental Health Association states, “suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people” (Canadian Mental Health Association, 2013). Suicide is a very real...

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...nues to be an issue, especially among youth (aged 15-24), we need to be aware of preventative options we can take. In order to do this we must examine why youth commit suicide, as discussed in this essay, and what steps we can take. To prevent a suicide from occurring, we need to first detect that the person is suicidal, or could become suicidal, and then we must understand why they are feeling this way, and why ending their life is their only option. These steps can be addressed by family, friends, and trained professionals, in order to make the preventative attempt. In the future, suicide should, and can be prevented. This essay has explored ways to do this, and how it can be accomplished. By knowing the preventative measures one can take, we can prevent suicide from becoming a rising problem among youth, and we can save the lives of the young people of tomorrow.

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