While the reasons that teens commit suicide vary widely, there are some common situations and circumstances that seem to lead to such extreme measures. These include major disappointment, rejection, failure, or loss such as breaking up with a girlfriend or boyfriend, failing a big exam, or witnessing family turmoil. Since the overwhelming majority of those who commit suicide have a mental or substance-related disorder, they often have difficulty coping with such crippling stressors. They are unable to see that their life can turn around, unable to recognize that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. More recently, scientists have focused on the biology of suicide.
Suicide is thought by some to have a genetic component, to run in families.
And research has shown strong evidence that mental and substance-related disorders, which commonly affect those who end up committing suicide, do run in families. Certainly, the suicide of one s parent or other close family member could lead to thoughts of such behavior in a teen with a mental or substance-related disorder. Research has also explored the specific brain chemistry of those who take their own lives. Recent studies indicate that those who have attempted suicide may also have low levels of the brain chemical serotonin. Serotonin helps control impulsivity, and low levels of the brain chemical are thought to cause more impulsive behavior.