I truly believe that understanding more about suicide would have saved a life at my school
KARACHI: Teen deaths for any reason are tragic losses of life. Many people at some point in their lives experience periods of anxiety, sadness, and despair. These are normal reactions to the pain of loss, rejection, or disappointment. Those with serious mental illnesses, however, often experience much more extreme reactions, reactions that can leave them mired in hopelessness. And when all hope is lost, some feel that suicide is the only solution. It isn’t. According to the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suicide is the third leading cause of death among teens 15 to 19 years old.
While the reasons that teens commit suicide vary widely, there are some common situations and circumstances that seem to lead to such extreme measures. These include major disappointment, rejection, failure, or loss such as breaking up with a girlfriend or boyfriend, failing a big exam, or witnessing family turmoil. Since the overwhelming majority of those who commit suicide have a mental or substance-related disorder, they often have difficulty coping with such crippling stresses. They are unable to see that their life can turn around, unable to recognise that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.
I truly believe that understanding more about suicide would have saved a life at my school. I also believe that understanding more about anxiety and eating disorders would have helped many girls to lead a happier life.
Shahbaz Ahmed
Published in The Express Tribune, April 5th, 2017.
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