One of the hidden dangers of teen addiction is the high risk of teen suicide that tends to accompany it. At least 53% of teen suicide are young adults who are also victims of teen addiction. Both teen suicide and teen addiction are responses to the depression and pressure that fill the life of the young adult. Without having developed adult coping mechanisms, many teens use drugs as a coping mechanism, “self-medicating” themselves for their depression. Naturally, the abuse and addiction fails to dispel their problems, and in most cases only augments them. Already depressed and feeling isolated, many frustrated teens see no other avenue but suicide. Addressing the problems of abuse and addiction, helps reduce the risk of teen suicide, and saves lives. Five thousand teens successfully commit suicide a year in America alone.

Teen Suicide Statistics

• Every 100 minutes another teen commits suicide.
• Depression increases the risk of a first suicide by a factor of fourteen
• More than 50% of all teens who suffer from depression will attempt suicide at least once.
• Young women attempt suicide three times more than young men
• Young men successful commit suicide four times more than young women.
• Firearms are used in a little more than half of all teen suicides.
• Estimates range from 53% to 90% for the number of teen suicides who abuse drugs.
• 27% of high school students said they had "thought seriously" about killing themselves during the past year.
• Eight percent of high school students stated in a recent survey that they had actually tried to commit suicide once.
• Ten percent of U.S. college students admitted serious thoughts about suicide. Seven percent had a suicide plan.
• For every teenage suicide, there are more than 100 unsuccessful attempts.
• More than 5,000 American teens commit suicide each year.

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HelpYourTeens.com: Teen Suicide
UMich.edu: Teen Suicide
TeenDepression.org: Teen Suicide

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