The Tragedy of Teenage Suicide

In our western culture we place a high value on life, and it disturbs us when we hear of senseless human death. So it seems particularly shocking when we hear of teenagers who choose to take their own lives.

For many of us, life seems to really start in our teenage years. We begin to have a full appreciation of the larger world. It's the time when we develop interests and friends that last a lifetime. It's also when we begin to get the first inkling of a life's work or career.

That's what makes a teen's suicide so tragic and painful. Last week, after seven months of investigation, three 16-year-old boys were arrested on suspicion of sexual assault. This follows the suicide of a 15-year-old California girl who hanged herself on Sept. 10, 2012, after pictures of her sexual battery were circulated. A father and mother grieve. Friends mourn her loss. One young life tragically ended. There are three more who, if charged and convicted, will carry the mark of this crime for the rest of their lives.

Life at 15 or 16 can be tough. Today we hear of teens bullied, socially ostracized, or humiliated by classmates. Some young people can even crack under the stress of high parental expectations. All too frequently, a bullet, a rope, or a leap from a bridge seems to be the way out.

It's a national tragedy that teen suicide is on the increase across the U.S., having taken more than 5,000 lives last year. A New York University study from several years ago revealed that 24 percent of U.S. high school students had seriously considered suicide in the past year. That is a 25 percent increase from a previous survey taken just six years earlier. Those statistics should shock each of us. Yet in a world where senseless violence seems to occur almost daily, it's easy to be numb.

As parents, our teenagers can sometimes be difficult for us to deal with. But we must do the best we possibly can. We must take a genuine interest in their lives. We must talk to them and let them know we care. Above all, we must be attuned to their needs and what makes them tick.

In Psalms, Solomon reminds us of how children are both a great blessing and responsibility.  He wrote: "Sons are a heritage from the Lord, and children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are the sons born in one's youth" (Psalms 127:3-4).  It's a stressful world, and our teens need all the help we can give them.

We encourage you to read the following articles on the subject of suicide published by the United Church of God: "A Son's Suicide, a Mother's Heartbreak " and "Suicide is Never the Answer ".


Reprinted with permission. Published by United Church of God, an International Association, P.O. Box 541027, Cincinnati, OH 45254-1027. © 2013 United Church of God.

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