Many of these are never discovered, or never reported. It is important to understand that the majority of suicide attempts are expressions of extreme distress, not merely bids for attention. However, suicide is also a selective killer of youth. It is the third leading cause of death among people aged 15-24 years, after unintentional injuries and homicide, and the second leading cause of death in college students. The mean age for successful completed suicides is 40 years.
Depression is often difficult to diagnose because it can manifest in so many different ways.
For example, some depressed individuals seem to withdraw into apathy, while others may become irritable or even agitated. Eating and sleeping patterns can be exaggerated to either extreme, either excessive or almost eliminated. Observable or behavioral symptoms may be minimal despite profound inner turmoil. Depression is a holistic disorder, generally affecting body, feelings, thoughts, and behaviors to varying degrees. To establish the diagnosis of major depression, a patient must express one of the first 2 and at least 5 of the other symptoms listed above.