Teen Suicide

Suicide is a growing problem in society today in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 1995 22,552 Americans died of homicide in 1995 while 31,284 died due to suicide (Teens Attempting Suicide). Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death in the United States (Dolce 13). While it is estimated that nearly 35,000 Americans commit suicide every year it is believed that that number is closer to 100,000 because so many suicides are ruled as accidents (Dolce 13). The number of attempted suicides in the United States is even more overwhelming. Approximately 5 million people now living in the United States have attempted suicide (Dolce 13). Meanwhile, suicide among teenagers is becoming a growing trend as well. The third leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 15 to 24 is suicide, second only to homicide and car accidents, according to the Centers for Disease Control (Understanding and Preventing Teen Suicide). Once every 80 seconds an adolescent attempts to take his or her own life (Dolce 14). Again, these numbers may not be accurate as many suicides and attempted suicides are often reported as accidents, leading to the conclusion that the problem of teen suicide is even greater than what is reported (Teen Suicide APA). Teen suicide affects everyone close to the victim