| IMAGINE feeling like
there’s no reason to go on. Feeling like you
can’t do anything right and the whole world is
against you. Escape!!! Leave everything behind.
There’s only one way out… Forget the future,
forget the good things, all you remember is the bad. SUICIDE. This is the main cause of death not only among middle-aged men but also among teenagers. Between the ages of 15 and 24 is where the suicide rate is at it’s highest and is also male dominated. Australia has one of the highest rates in the world. It will never be known what’s running through a suicidal teenager’s head, but the main known cause of teenage suicide is peer pressure. Pressure to fit in, to do well, to be liked, to be cool and to have friends. Peta, a 16 year old high school student tried to commit suicide early last year but now realises what a big mistake it was. "Being in grade 10 was really hard for me, I was
trying to fit in with everyone but I never seemed to. I
just hadn’t found out who I really was. I had a
fairly nice bunch of friends, they were really close, but
I never felt I belonged. I’d never had a boyfriend but
I did like this one guy, he didn’t like me back. All
my friends had boyfriends and since I was the only one
who didn’t, I began to think I was really ugly and
that’s why the guys didn’t like me. I hated
myself and felt the whole world hated me too. When
you’re suicidal you don’t care about anything, nothing
matters anymore. You forget about everyone who cares
about you and how |
they will be hurt. I feel
now, that suicide is like ‘the easy way out.’
When you encounter a near death experience you realise
that suicide really isn’t worth it." The suicide rates have risen dramatically over the last 10 years. In 1985-86 only 20 people committed suicide but in 1995-96, 37 people did. Road deaths have decreased in the last 10 years, making suicide the most common known cause of death. In Australia, 364 people have died from suicide over the last 10 years making a total of 96 more people than those who are killed from road accidents. The suicide rate in Australia among 15-24 year olds is at 16.4% per 100,000 people, which works out to be about 6098 people committing suicide for every 100,000 worldwide, somewhere between the ages of 15 and 24. Suicide is never the answer. It is a tragic way to end you life, leaving behind so many unanswered questions and families and friends filled with guilt that they didn’t see the signs. People need to become more aware of these changes in people’s moods. Listen to their words and feelings. The government spends millions on advertising the dangers of smoking, drinking, taking drugs, road safety and Aids, but all we ever hear about suicide is statistics. Not enough is heard about how to avoid this senseless waste of life. Candice |