Depression: Real and deadly
Studies abound and survey data corroborate the findings that the impulse for suicide is real for teenagers. The Massachusetts Department of Education (in conjunction with the Center for Disease Control) has taken surveys of high school students over many years.
The data are consistent. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for these youngsters. Accidents are the leading cause. For all the concern we have for death from illness and accidents, what are our concerns for suicide and its causes?
Lisa Machoian addresses this directly in her book – “The Disappearing Girl”.
She says that “ …At the edge of adolescence, around age twelve, the rate of depression in girls rapidly rises, which stands in contrast to childhood, when boys outnumber girls in rates of depression. By age fifteen, girls with depression outnumber boys by a ratio of two to one, a statistic that mirrors the adult population. Some surveys report that teenage girls are seven times more apt to be depressed than teenage boys and two to ten times more likely to attempt suicide. Boys, though they attempt suicide less frequently, are more apt to kill themselves when they do attempt it. Surveys tell us that 25 percent or more of teenage girls report depression. Teenage girls report high rates of suicidal thinking, a common symptom of depression…Researchers found a peak in girls’ suicide attempts at ages thirteen and fourteen…” Page xix..
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This is so true. I have worked with several teenagers both in a school and church environment. You will rarely come across a teenager that will come forward to you and blatently ask for help. But about eighty five percent of teenagers these days have serious issues that they are dealing with internally. It is up to the adults in their lives to step forward, actively engage in their conversations and show a true interest in their lives. This will gain trust and let them know that it is safe to talk with you about issues (extreme and not so extreme) that are in their lives. This trust is so important with young adults. It will open so many doors and most importantly, lines of communication. It may seem like a small step, one that is so easy to neglect in the busy lives we lead. However, depression among teenagers is high. Teenagers still need guidance regardless of how tough their outer shell may seem.
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