During my first week of high school the first week of High School the class of 2010 was called to the auditorium to hear a presentation by the school principal. Each student slowly made their way into the venue and took their seats. We were excited to hear how our senior year would unfold and what was in store for us during this final year of high school. We heard about class trips, college choices, prom and other exciting events. But there was one message I was not prepared to hear. After information overload of what to expect throughout the year, the Principal abruptly switched gears. He cleared his throat, his body language projected discomfort and I could detect a slight nervous tone to his voice. The presenter told us to take a look at the person to our sides and to the front and back of us. He paused and went on to tell the audience that some of us in the group would not graduate. He told us that some of us would not live to see our friend's on graduation day. My initial thought was that he was attempting to "scare us straight." The Principal talked about dangers of drinking and driving and the responsibility we had to our friends when we got behind the wheel of a car. He reminded us of the dangers of texting and driving and how we could injure ourselves, or worse, one of our friends. The principal provided examples of situations he felt were "real" and those that he felt we had the ability to control. However, there was one particular example the Principal did not prepare us for and that was the possibility and probability of one or more of our peers not making it to see their graduation day due to suicide.
It is said that nearly one-third of all teenage deaths are a result of suicide. It is also said that teenage suicide increased 18% since 2004. Why the rise in suicides over the last 8 years? There are many causes for teenage suicide from depression, alcohol or drug abuse, bullying, a breakup with a boyfriend or girlfriend or some other life changing event such as a death in the family or divorce. When you stop and think about it, there are other factors that may impact the 18% increase. For example, many prescribed drugs have side affects including increased suicidal thoughts. Although the drug labeling is listed as a warning or disclosure, does it indirectly raise awareness and inadvertently plant or reinforce the idea of suicide? Maybe not, but if someone is already depressed or in an unpredictable state of mind, does the drug labeling raise the awareness of a suicide tendency?
Todays teens are far more dependent on technology than teenagers of years past. Teenagers today are connected all day, every day including having their phones by their side in bed. Bullying, on the other hand has been a part of growing up for decades past. However, the style in which bullying is done nowadays is very different; and unfortunately, bullying is a lot more effective today. With the introduction of computers, phones and social media, bullying has reached a new level of sophistication. Stuffing tatter tots in the hood of a sweatshirt, or having a plate of spaghetti and meatballs dumped on you in the cafeteria is still a very effective means of bullying. But with the advent of technology, word of the cafeteria bullying spreads within minutes. By the time the poor spaghetti splattered student gets to her next class, 50% of the school knows what happened and "why" - there is no escaping the incident and no where to hide. Thanks to modern technology, by the time spaghetti girl gets home, her parents greet her at the front door already knowing what occurred earlier in the day. In years past, a student may have been bullied, however, word did not spread at the same pace as it does today. It was possible to get home and in the door without having to explain to your family what happened. It was possible to forget the day's events long enough to eat and possibly get a few hours of sleep. In today's society, the constant electronic connection does not allow a moment's peace. The Facebook messages, text messages and other sources of media will make sure the bullying incident is not forgotten quickly.
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