Suicides among young people nationwide have increased dramatically in recent years. Suicide is the sixth leading cause of death for five to fourteen year olds, and the third leading cause of death for fifteen to twenty four year olds. One teenager every one hundred minutes takes their life, and for every life taken, there are fifty to one hundred attempts of suicide.
             Teenage suicide is a growing problem in society and there are signs to look for if a person is considering committing suicide. Most teenagers who are considering suicide are having problems in their life, which leads to depression, and sometimes suicide. During adolescence teenagers deal with a lot of new experiences such as physical changes, new relationships, and decisions about the future. This new pressure can lead to depression. For some teenagers divorce, the formation of a new family with step-parents and step-siblings, or moving to a new community can be very unsettling and can intensify self-doubts. In some of these cases the solution may be suicide. Some other reasons teenagers might be considering suicide is an unplanned pregnancy, substance abuse, family loss or significant problems with parents, or parents with alcohol and drug problems. These problems can make the adolescent feel alone, hopeless and rejected.
             The suicidal teen will usually give signals that they are considering suicide, this is a cry for "help". Teenagers who are planning to commit suicide might "clean house" by giving away favorite possessions, cleaning their rooms, or throwing things away. After a period of depression they may also become suddenly cheerful because they think by deciding to end their life they have found the solution.
             Some other signs that may be recognized are depressed mood, frequent episodes of running away or being incarcerated time and time again, withdraws from family or friends, and they are no longer interested in or enjoying activities that once were pl...