These statistics may actually even underestimate the extent of the problem due to the social stigma attached to suicide and the possibility that some suicides may be reported as accidents. For every completed suicide it is estimated that there are 50 to 150 attempts at suicide. While teenage girls are about 3 times more likely to attempt suicide, teenage boys are about 3 times more likely to complete a suicide since they tend to use more lethal means. Hand guns are the number one killer of boys, and drug overdose is the number one killer of girls. 7th to 12th graders in Oconto County have thought about killing themselves.
Thoughts of suicide are somewhat common during adolescence.
Whether or not a teenager wants to die, suicidal behavior often stems from feelings of helplessness. Suicide can run in families. Drug and alcohol abuse by the parents of suicidal teens is also common. Also, suicidal teens tend to engage in higher rates of alcohol and drug use. Two out of three suicides are committed while teens are using chemical substances.