By: Reporter Crystal Redemann
Much less is known about suicidal behavior in people aged 10 to 24 than expected of modern life, as shown by a number of surveys taken over the course of the 21st century.
For the most part, all that is known about suicide is that signs indicating it as a possibility are shared with depression, females are more likely to attempt whilst males are more likely to die; and it is the third leading cause of death in the surveyed ages, as stated by the American Psychological Association. According to an article on mental health for young adults, “National surveys on adolescent suicide consistently show that up to 10 percent of American high school students report that they attempted suicide in the previous year.”
The information known typically, however, comes from studies based on suicide ideation or attempts within the average margin of students, i.e. sexual majority students. This fails to encompass the vast number of sexual minority youth, of whom statistics have shown to have both a higher percentage of attempts and an overall greater intent to die if suicidal. The American Journal of Public Health states that the risks for suicide in sexual minority students are high regardless of measures taken to lower stress and other factors causing these thoughts.
In a recent article on suicide rates among sexual minorities, it is written that a hostile environment characterized by stigma, prejudice and discrimination may be associated with increases in individual risk factors for suicide. Unfortunately, many students all across America suffer from suicidal thoughts in America that choose not to report, as a direct result of the stigma associated with suicide and the discrimination that they fear they would face.
The students of NHS, as well as all other schools in America, need to be aware of the high risk factors for suicide, especially in sexual minority groups. The American Journal of Public Health writes that, with enough awareness, perhaps the growing risks of teen suicide will see a decrease in the near future.
