Suicide—A Scourge of Young People

AS IF war, murder, and atrocities were not enough to devastate our youths, there is self-destruction in the form of youth suicide. Drug and alcohol abuse ravage the minds and bodies of youths, causing many deaths among young people. An increasingly familiar epitaph is that the victim OD’d—died of a drug overdose, either deliberately or accidentally.

The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report of April 28, 1995, said that “suicide is the third leading cause of death among adolescents aged 15-19 years in the United States.” Dr. J. J. Mann writes in The Decade of the Brain: “More than 30,000 [in 1995 the figure was 31,284] Americans commit suicide each year. Tragically, youth are commonly the victims . . . Ten times more than those 30,000 people attempt suicide, but survive. . . . Identifying patients who are at risk for suicide is a major clinical challenge because clinicians cannot easily distinguish between patients with major depression who will attempt suicide and those who will not.”

Simon Sobo, chief of psychiatry at New Milford Hospital, Connecticut, U.S.A., observed: “There have been more suicide attempts this spring [1995] than I have seen in the 13 years I have been here.” In the United States, thousands of teenagers attempt suicide each year. Every attempt is a cry for help and attention. Who will be there to lend support before it is too late?

A Worldwide Problem

The picture is not much different in many other parts of the world. In India, according to India Today, some 30,000 youths committed suicide during 1990. In Canada, Finland, France, Israel, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, and Thailand, suicide rates among young people have increased. A 1996 report from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) states that the highest youth suicide rates are in Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, New Zealand, Russia, and Slovenia.

Australia also has one of the world’s highest youth suicide rates. In this country in 1995, 25 percent of all deaths among young males and 17 percent among young females were suicides, according to a report in The Canberra Times newspaper. The rate of “successful” suicides among Australian boys is some five times greater than among girls. A similar ratio is found in most countries.

Does this mean that boys are more likely to attempt suicide than girls? Not necessarily. Available data shows little difference between the sexes in occurrence of suicide attempts. However, “about four times as many young males as females commit suicide in the industrialized nations according to the latest figures from WHO [World Health Organization].”—The Progress of Nations, published by UNICEF.

But even these horrific statistics may not tell the full extent of the problem. Statistics on youth suicide, couched in clinical and analytic terms, are surprisingly easy to read. However, often not appreciated or seen behind each cold statistic are the shattered families and the heartache, misery, pain, and despair of those left behind as they search for reasons.

So, can such tragedies as youth suicide be prevented? Some key factors have been identified and could prove helpful in avoiding this sad situation.

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Motivations for Suicide

There are many theories about the motivations for suicide. “Suicide results from a person’s reaction to a perceived overwhelming problem, such as social isolation, death of a loved one (especially a spouse), a broken home in childhood, serious physical illness, growing old, unemployment, financial problems, and drug abuse.”—The American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine.

According to sociologist Emile Durkheim, there are four basic types of suicide:

1. Egoistic suicide—This “is thought to stem from an individual’s lack of integration into society. Largely left to themselves, victims of egoistic suicide are neither connected with, nor dependent on, their community.” They tend to be loners.

2. Altruistic suicide—“The individual is overly integrated into a group so that he or she feels no sacrifice is too great.” Examples given are Japanese kamikaze pilots in World War II and religious extremists who blow themselves up while killing their supposed enemies. Other examples would be those who have died by self-immolation in order to draw attention to a cause.

3. Anomic suicide—“The victim of anomic suicide is not capable of dealing with a crisis in a rational manner and chooses suicide as the solution to a problem. [This] occurs when the individual’s accustomed relationship with society is suddenly and shockingly altered.”

4. Fatalistic suicide—This is “thought to be caused by excessive societal regulation that fundamentally restricts an individual’s freedom.” Such victims “feel that they have no viable future.”—Adolescent Suicide: Assessment and Intervention, by Alan L. Berman and David A. Jobes.

When Hope and Love Vanish

A 17-YEAR-OLD Canadian girl wrote down her reasons for wanting to die. Among others, she listed: ‘Feeling lonely and scared about my future; feeling really inferior to fellow workers; nuclear war; the ozone layer; I am really ugly, so I’ll never get a husband and I’ll end up being alone; I don’t think there’s really too much out there, so why wait around to discover it; it’ll take the burden off everybody else; I’ll never get hurt by anyone again.’

Could these be some of the reasons why young people are killing themselves? In Canada, “except for motor-vehicle accidents, suicide is now the most common cause of deaths among them.”—The Globe and Mail.

Professor Riaz Hassan, of Flinders University of South Australia, states in his paper “Unlived Lives: Trends in Youth Suicide”: “There are several sociological reasons which bear on the question and appear to have significantly influenced the increase in adolescent suicide. These are the high youth unemployment rate; changes in the Australian family; increasing drug use and abuse; increasing youth violence; mental health; and an increasing disjunction between ‘theoretical freedom’ and experiential autonomy.” The paper further states that the results of several surveys have revealed a sense of pessimism about the future and suggest that “a large proportion of young people regard their future and that of the world with fear and trepidation. They see a world devastated by nuclear war and ravaged by pollution and environmental degradation, a dehumanized society in which technology is out of control and unemployment rampant.”

According to a Gallup poll of 16- to 24-year-olds, additional causes of suicide are the expanding gap between rich and poor, increasing numbers of single-parent households, the growing gun culture, child abuse, and a general “lack of faith in tomorrow.”

Newsweek reports that in the United States, “the presence of firearms may be the most pivotal factor [in teenage suicide]. A study comparing adolescent suicide victims who had no apparent mental disorders with kids who didn’t commit suicide found only one difference: a loaded gun in the house. So much for the idea that guns don’t kill people.” And millions of homes have loaded guns!

Fear and an uncaring society can quickly push vulnerable youths to the edge of suicide. Consider: The rate of violent crimes committed against 12- to 19-year-olds is more than double that of crimes against the population in general. Studies found that “young women from 14 to 24 are most likely to be assaulted,” reported Maclean’s magazine. “Women are most often attacked and murdered by the people who say they love them.” The result? These and other fears “erode the confidence and sense of security of these girls.” In one study, almost one third of rape survivors interviewed had considered suicide.

A New Zealand report offers another perspective on young suicide, stating: “The prevailing materialistic, worldly values that equate individual success with wealth, good looks, and power make many young people feel quite worthless and cast out by society.” In addition, The Futurist says this: “[Youths] have a strong propensity for instant gratification, wanting it all and wanting it fast. Their favorite TV programs are soap operas. They would like their world to be filled with the same good-looking people, dressed in the latest fashions, with lots of money and prestige, and without having to work too hard.” The sheer volume of such unrealistic, unfulfillable expectations appears to cause a measure of despair and may lead to suicide.

A Life-Saving Quality?

Shakespeare wrote: “Love comforteth like sunshine after rain.” The Bible says: “Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:8) In that quality there is a key to the problem of young people prone to suicide—their yearning for love and communication. The American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine states: “Suicidal people usually feel desperately lonely, and the opportunity to talk to a sympathetic, understanding listener is sometimes enough to prevent the despairing act.”

Youths often have an overwhelming need for love and a feeling of belonging. Satisfying this becomes harder as each day passes in a loveless and destructive world—a world in which they have little or no say. Parental rejection because of family breakup and divorce can be a contributing factor in adolescent suicide. And this rejection has many faces.

Consider the case of parents who are rarely at home with their children. Mom and Dad may be totally tied up in their jobs or given to some form of recreation that excludes the children. The indirect message to their offspring is a not-too-subtle rejection. Prominent journalist and researcher Hugh Mackay notes that “parents are becoming more and more self-centred. They put themselves first in order to preserve their lifestyles. . . . To put it brutally, children have gone out of fashion. . . . Life is tough and it all gets a bit self-absorbed.”

Then, in some cultures men with a macho self-image may not wish to be seen in a nurturing role. Journalist Kate Legge puts it well: “Men with a public service bent generally choose lifesaving or firefighting over the nurturing tasks . . . They prefer the strong, silent heroism of battling external forces to the people-intensive jobs.” And, of course, one of the most people-intensive jobs today is being a parent. Poor parenting is tantamount to rejection of the child. As a result, your son or daughter may develop a negative self-image and poor social skills. The Education Digest notes: “Without a positive image of themselves, kids don’t have the basis to make decisions in their own best interests.”

Hopelessness Can Result

Researchers believe that hopelessness is a major contributor to suicide. Gail Mason, a writer on youth suicide in Australia, observed: “Hopelessness is considered to correlate more highly with suicidal thoughts than depression. Hopelessness is sometimes defined as one symptom of depression. . . . It commonly takes the form of a general sense of despair and despondency concerning young people’s futures, and in particular their economic future: and to a lesser degree a feeling of hopelessness regarding the global situation.”

Poor examples of honesty by civic leaders do not inspire youths to raise their own levels of ethics and morals. The attitude then becomes, “Why bother?” Harper’s Magazine comments on youths’ ability to detect hypocrisy, saying: “The young, with their keen noses for hypocrisy, are in fact adept readers—but not of books. What they read so acutely are the social signals emanating from the world in which they will have to make a living.” And what do those signals spell out? Author Stephanie Dowrick observes: “We have never been more deluged with information about how to live. We have never been richer or better educated, yet there is despair everywhere.” And there are so few good role models in the upper echelons of political and religious society. Dowrick asks a few pertinent questions: “How do we salvage wisdom, resilience and even meaning out of meaningless suffering? How do we cultivate love in a climate of selfishness, petulance and greed?”

You will find the answers to these questions in our next article, and they may surprise you.

When Hope and Love Return

PARENTS, teachers, and others who deal with adolescents realize that neither they nor youths nor any other person can change the world. There are forces at work that are like tidal waves, which no one can halt. Yet, there is much that we can all do to contribute to youths’ being happier, healthier, and well adjusted.

Since prevention is better than cure, parents should think carefully about how their life-style and priorities may shape the attitudes and behavior of their children. Providing a loving and caring environment in the home gives the security that can best prevent self-destructive behavior. One of the most desperate needs of youths is having someone who will listen to them. If parents won’t listen, perhaps less-desirable people will.

What does that mean for parents today? Make time for your children when they need it—when they are young. For many families this is not easy. They struggle to make ends meet, with both parents having no choice but to work. Those who have been willing and able to make sacrifices in order to have more time with their children have often reaped the reward of seeing their sons and daughters make a better success of life. However, as noted earlier, sometimes even with the best of efforts on the part of parents, serious problems with their children can develop.

Friends and Other Adults Can Help

Wars, rape, and abuse of youths call for extraordinary efforts in damage control on the part of adults who truly care for them. Youths traumatized by such negative experiences may not react well even to efforts to help them. It may mean a great investment of your time and effort. Certainly it is not wise or loving to belittle them or reject them. Can we dig a little deeper into our own emotional resourcefulness and show the needed kindness and love to reach out to those at risk?

Not only parents but friends and even siblings need to be especially vigilant to note tendencies in young ones that may indicate a fragile and possibly unbalanced emotional state. (See the box “Qualified Help Needed,” page 8.) If signs are there, be quick to lend a hearing ear. If possible, try to draw troubled youths out with kind questions to assure them of your genuine friendship. Trusted friends and relatives may be able to support parents in handling difficult situations; but, of course, they should be careful not to take over the role of parents. Very often youths’ suicidal tendencies are a desperate plea for attention—parental attention.

One of the best gifts anyone can give to youths is a solid hope for a happy future, an incentive for living. Many youths have come to recognize the truthfulness of Bible promises of a better world system soon to come.

Rescued From Would-Be Suicide

From Japan, a young woman who often contemplated suicide has this to say: “How many times I have longed to take that road. When I was a toddler, I was sexually abused by someone I trusted. . . . In the past, I have written so many notes saying ‘I want to die’ that I have lost count. I have since become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and I now serve as a full-time evangelizer, but this urge still comes over me from time to time. . . . But Jehovah has allowed me to stay alive, and he seems to be telling me gently, ‘Keep on living.’”

A 15-year-old girl from Russia explained: “When I was eight years old, I started feeling that nobody needed me. My parents did not have time to speak with me, and I tried to solve my problems by myself. I withdrew into myself. I quarreled constantly with my relatives. Then the thought of suicide came into my mind. How happy I was to meet Jehovah’s Witnesses!”

And from Australia come these encouraging comments from Cathy, now in her early 30’s, which show that despair can really turn to hope: “I constantly dreamed about different methods of ending my life and finally attempted suicide. I wanted to escape this world, which is full of hurt, anger, and emptiness. Depression made it difficult for me to get out of the ‘spiderweb’ I felt I was trapped in. Therefore, suicide seemed to be the answer at the time.

“When I first heard about the possibility of the earth’s becoming a paradise, with a peaceful, happy life for all, I really yearned for it. But it seemed just an impossible dream. However, I gradually began to understand Jehovah’s view of life and how precious each one of us is in his eyes. I began to feel confident that there is hope for the future. At last, I found a way out of that ‘spiderweb.’ To get out of it, however, proved to be difficult. At times depression would overcome me, and I would feel terribly confused. Yet, making Jehovah God my focal point allowed me to draw very close to him and to feel secure. I thank Jehovah for all that he has done for me.”

No More Youthful Deaths

By studying the Bible, a young person can come to realize that there is something better to look forward to—what the Christian apostle Paul calls “the real life.” He counseled the young man Timothy: “Give orders to those who are rich . . . to rest their hope, not on uncertain riches, but on God, who furnishes us all things richly for our enjoyment; to work at good, to be rich in fine works, . . . safely treasuring up for themselves a fine foundation for the future, in order that they may get a firm hold on the real life.”—1 Timothy 6:17-19.

Paul’s counsel, in effect, means that we should get involved with other people, helping them to have a solid hope for the future. “The real life” is what Jehovah has promised in his new world of “new heavens and a new earth.”—2 Peter 3:13.

Many youths who were once at risk have come to understand that drug abuse and immoral life-styles are nothing but a long and winding road to death, to which suicide is but a shortcut. They have come to realize that this world, with its wars, hatred, abusive behavior, and loveless ways, will soon pass away. They have learned that this world system is beyond redemption. They have taken to heart that God’s Kingdom is the only real hope, for it will usher in a new world where not only youths but all obedient mankind will never have to die—no, nor even want to die anymore.—Revelation 21:1-4.