As supported by the American Psychiatric Association, suicide is the third

leading cause of death for young people between eleven and eighteen years of age
and the suicide rate is highest for those who suffer from depression, substance abuse,
or other mental disorders (Teen). Nationwide, teen suicide is an immensely large
death factor, however, prevention can be achieved if individuals are aware of the many
factors that cause it. Although teen suicide can be derived solely from mental disorders,
its main cause is attending school due to the fact that it leads to bullying and, other
times, often causes extreme anxiety levels.
With teen suicide significantly on the rise, it is supported that this increase has
had a drastic relationship with the amount of bullying occurring in schools. By attending
school, according to The National Center for Educational Statistics, in 2009, nearly 1 in
3 students between the ages of 12 and 18 have reported being bullied in school
(Ollove). This study discovered that, in several cases, teens reportedly committed
suicide to escape the intense and unrelenting bullying they endured. However, what
they do not mention is the significantly deep depression that these individuals had to
deal with, as a result of the bullying that the students were forced to experience. Bill
Brown, director of the 2007 film The Hidden Epidemic, describes depression as an
incredibly painful condition, and since its human nature to seek pleasure and avoid pain
in the logic of depression the only remedy is to stop the pain, and that makes suicide
a very desirable option (Teen). As indicated in this particular quote, depression is an
extraordinarily severe disease that should be taken very seriously and with extreme
delicacy. When one is suffering from depression, that individual experiences great pain
and feel as if relief will never come (Vogel-Scibilia). When one is feeling this way, it

should not come to a surprise that this individual will want to look for a way out.
Depending on the severity of the symptoms, the way out can vary. With schools
allowing and not fully preventing bullying, teen suicide rates will continue to increase, as
well as the tremendous amount of stress put on students over schoolwork and grades.
In school, every student has been subjected to immense amounts of pressure to
get good grades at one point or another in their high school career. However, these
large amounts of anxiety caused by teachers and advisors can cause major damage to
a student and even take away their life. According to the National Institute of Mental
Health, about 8 percent of todays U.S. teens suffer from some type of diagnosed
anxiety disorder (Nepon). Anxiety alone has been on the rise among children as well
as young adults since at least the 1950s, and will continue to increase as time evolves
(Biegel). School counselors and nurses have cited increased amounts of stress,
pressure, social media, and divorce as causes for this surge in anxiety, affecting millions
of teenagers throughout the country. Cindy Zellefrow, a nurse at South-Western City
Schools in Grove City, Ohio, has not only seen the number of these cases multiply, but
claimed their severity has increased, as well. While Zellefrow said she usually sees
three to five suicidal kids each year, during the 2013-2014 school year she said she
treated 12 students whose anxiety was causing suicidal thoughts (High). With
supported data provided by Zellefrow that reveals an increase in suicidal children, we
can clearly conclude that if we as a nation do not do anything to prevent this type of
behavior or pattern in society that the teen suicide rates will continue to rise.
With these two factors in mind about schools directly relating to teen suicide,
concerning bullying and levels of extreme anxiety, some individuals may still believe that

suicide of young adults is solely caused by mental disorders. Evidence strongly

suggests that as many as 90% of those who commit suicide have a diagnosable mental
disorder (Vogel-Scibilia). With this significant statistic in mind, it is critical that we
understand what these individuals are going through and how we can prevent suicide
by helping them find another solution. Although being aware of mental disorders is very
important, it is not the main cause of teen suicide. After discussing the rates of teen
suicide during the school year versus during the summer, it was discovered that by a
large margin, no-school months are when their suicide numbers bottom out (Lyons).
This is very drastic and extremely insightful in the fact that it proves that not all
instances where teenagers commit suicide are cases in which a mental disorder is
involved. Instead, it could purely be the stress and anxiety derived from attending
school.
With teen suicide rates rapidly increasing in the world today, it is extremely
critical that we are aware of its causes as well as the steps that must be taken in order
to prevent it. Even though some individuals may believe that the main cause of teen
suicide are mental disorders, it has been supported that the real cause of suicide
among teenagers is attending school. This is because of the fact that school, in
general, enables bullying in its environment and often generates great amounts of
stress on students; both instances having had devastating suicide cases involved.