When I was a kid Cancer was almost nonexistent. It was something to fear, and you rarely knew anyone that had it or any families affected by it. Slowly over the years that has changed. If you don’t know someone with some form of cancer it is rare.
Now suicide among youth is slowly becoming the new cancer. It was something that you never heard of back in the day. If someone did kill themselves we didn’t talk about it, and it was seldom a young person.
Now self harm and suicide attempts are quickly becoming a fad of sorts.
It is common to know someone or at least hear of someone that has died as a result of or tried to commit suicide.
Kids throw the threat around like its the thing to do on the weekends. I have heard so many teens recently say “everyone says it”. But they don’t think they will actually do it. The statistics are frightening to say the least..
Suicide statistics for the United States
Thousands of teens commit suicide each year in the United States. In fact, suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year olds.
Annual number of youth (10-24). 4600 died in 2012 from self inflicted injuries
Annual number of youth (10-24) 157,000 received medical care from self-inflicted injuries.
http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pub/youth_suicide.html
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
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