Suicide There has been a frightening increase in adolescent suicides over the past few decades. It is the third leading cause of death in 15 to 24 year olds, and the fourth leading cause of death in 10 to 14 year olds. However, completed suicides are actually five times more common among boys.
Several things make suicide more likely among teens.
Depresssion or other forms of mental illness increase an adolescent's risk of attempting or committing suicide. Using drugs and alcohol also makes it much more likely that teens will act on suicidal thoughts. In addition, teens' access to lethal weapons has increased tremendously. In fact, suicide by firearms has become much more common, especially among boys. A suicide attempt can mean many things to a despondent teen.