Over the past two decades, most industrialized countries have seen the rate of adolescent suicide holding steady or increasing. More than 25,000 adolescents in Canada attempt suicide annually. An average of 294 youth commit suicide each year. The most common methods of youth suicide between 1993 and 1997 were hanging, firearms and motor vehicle exhaust gases. The most common methods used in attempts were drug overdose or poisoning.
Males are less likely than females to seek help from any source.
When death occurs by suicide, there are many unanswered questions and many things to work out within ourselves. The morning after this tragedy occurred, I felt confused and angry with myself and angry with Gabe. We had a steady stream of teenagers coming to the house and what seemed like hundreds of telephone calls. Teens are in a transitional period between childhood and adulthood, and this can lead to confusion and anxiety. Teens with an adequate support network of friends, family, religious affiliation, peer groups or extracurricular activities may have an outlet to deal with their everyday frustrations.