Every year thousands of youth die, not from cancer or car accidents but by their
own hand. The American Academy of Pediatrics estimates that 500,000 youth try to kill
themselves every year and over 5,000 succeed. Since 1970 teen suicide has increased
300 percent for ages 15 through 19 and 180 percent for ages 10 through 14. In one recent
survey of high school students, 60 percent said they had thought about killing themselves.
That is three out of every five students. 44 percent of the youth who attempt suicide
overdose on some sort of drug. Where are these teenagers getting these drugs? 38
percent use fire arms. Where are they getting these guns? The 18 percent left chose
Why has the youth suicide rate taken such a dramatic jump in recent years? There
are several reasons of what might have caused this suicide increase, but almost every
reason has to do with the lack of parental interest. Cindy Young, a local licensed
professional counselor, states that over half of her youth clients that are suicidal have
parents that spend no time with them. The average parent does not spent sufficient Ôquality
Ô time with their children. Now it is more often for both mother and father to work full
time, from that one factor parents deprive their children of the time they need. Another
reason parents do not spend as much Ôqualityö time with their children is because parents
have their own interests. It may be watching television, reading, talking on the phone,
working on the computer, new family members, such as a new child or spouse. Children
seem to take the back burner a generous amount of the time. Another reason for the suicide
increase is because many children do not meet up to their parents expectations, so in
response parents put their children down, tell them they are worthless, punish them, call
them names, and physically abusing them. Bec
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