“Following a decline of more than 28 percent, the suicide rate for 10- to-24-year-olds increased by 8 percent, the largest single-year rise in 15 years, according to a report just released in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).”

– ScienceDaily (Sep. 8, 2007)

The reported increase began in the middle of 2003 and 2004. Specialists are not sure if this is a short-term occurrence or the beginning of the age where teens can no longer succumb to the distress caused by their own personal issues or their own environment.

According to CDC, particular age ranges and gender had a dramatic annual increase. These are the age group and gender of the highest teen suicide rate:

– For 10- to-14-year-old females, the rate increased from 0.54 per 100,000 in 2003 to 0.95 per 100,000 in 2004

– For 15-to-19 year-old females the rate increased from 2.66 to 3.52 per 100,000

– For 15-to-19 year-old males, the rate increased from 11.61 to 12.65 per 100,000

CDC can not really determine the reason for this sudden increase they were able to acquire a record of the method they used though:

1990- boys and girls commonly used firearms

2004- 71.4% of 10-14 year-old girls who committed suicide used hanging or suffocation. During the period of 2003-2004, there was 119% increase in 10-14 year old girls who hang/suffocated themselves. Boys’ most common method is still firearms.

CDC now aims to gather more information on suicide occurrences (failed/successful) and place them in a centralized system to be able to determine the underlying cause of these attempts. Through this system they wish to be able to succeed in finding ways in helping to prevent teens in committing suicide.

In the monolithic division in your high school that separates the populars from the losers, where do you stand? Some who belongs in the latter category may not admit that they are part of that crowd, some would probably be glad that they fall in that category while the others are simply “dying” to get out of it. No matter how you look at your spot in the scholastic social system a couple of things are sure: People from the other group are not necessarily better than you are. That you may be so much more than they are in many other things; that they are not necessarily happier than you are; that being lucky does not make you a better person and; that you are the own master of your destiny.

Sadly, not a lot of teens look at their situation this way. The monolithic division that I was talking about earlier becomes a big deal for a lot of them. This division is suddenly dictating to them what they are and what they are bound to be. It’s fortunate that there are many instances that it reaches a certain boundary where the teen can no longer manage it. Their self-esteem together with their pride is crashed to pieces thus, affecting their psychiatric state. This is when things become sensitive. Theres no saying as to how far a person’s imagination can go and, theres no saying as to how far they can believe that it is just imagination. Drugs, alcohol, school shootings, you name it they all happened and much that I don’t want to admit… they will continue happening if the general perception of diversity will not change.

School shootings are starting to seem like a bi-annual festival celebrated in different parts of the US. In the past 10 years more than 40 school shootings have already occurred all over the US probably around 90% involves a minor killing/wounding his fellow student or teacher. A lot of people have been wondering how a child or anyone for that matter could have the guts to do such a despicable act. Psychologists have their own theories, one of them involving a capsule not any bigger than a bullet.

Lizard
by Dennis Covington

Have you ever felt like a freak?

Well, then you’ll relate to Lucius Sims. Because he resembles a reptile, people call him Lizard, and they treat him like an alien because he’s different. He’s even put into a school for retarded boys even though there is no proof that he has a learning problem.

Hang on tight, though, because Lizard is about to embark on a madcap adventure. On the road to freedom he might even find a way to accept himself! Covington won the Delacorte Prize for this sensitive novel about the oddball inside of us all.

To read more on what readers say about the novel, please click here.
For more information about the author, please click here.

Geeks
How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet out of Idaho
by Jon Katz

Geeks is the story of how Jesse and Eric — and others like them — used technology to try and change their lives and alter their destiny. They rode the Internet out of Idaho to Chicago, a city they had never set foot in, seeking the American Dream, a better life.

Geeks describes this brave and difficult journey, as two self-described social misfits use the resources of the Internet to try to construct a new future for themselves, escape the boundaries of their dead-end lives, and find a community they could belong to.

Geeks explores a growing subculture about which many of us know little, a world with its own language, traditions, and taboos. In telling the stories of Jesse, Eric, and others like them, Geeks is a story about the very human face of technology.

To read the full book review, please visit this link.
For more information about the author, please click here.

Teens tend to get bored easily. If they are mixed with a bad crowd, drugs may be their only solution to boredom. However, there are lots of activities that a teen can engage to so that they can avoid drugs.

Sports activities are good solutions to avoid drugs. Engaging in sports sharpens their physical and intellectual wits. They would think that drugs will just slow them down and distract their winning ways. With this thought at the back of their heads, prohibited drugs will never be a problem.

Having a fruitful activity that requires attention and time will definitely keep the teens away from drugs. Being dedicated in something worthwhile brings out the willingness to repel vices and other bad habits.

If in case the teen is already hooked on drugs, there are numerous rehabilitation centers and boot camps situated in different parts of the country. Just make sure that the appropriate center is chosen.

Most of troubled teens are victims of their own environment. Environment plays a major role in a child’s personality. Growing up in an environment filled with violence will automatically trigger a child’s instinct for cruelty. The kid will most likely imitate what the environment is displaying.

Being abused is the general problem of these teens. As a victim of violence, they tend to detach themselves from society and live a life that they will soon regret. If this happens, it may result to bigger problems such as suicide.

Keeping them away from this kind of environment is essential in their growth as a person. If it is not possible to move them out to a different place then at least they should be trained in avoiding circumstances that would lead them into trouble. One way to do this is to have an adult set a good example to a child so that even if they are staying in a hostile environment, the child knows how to shun circumstances that may harm them in the end.

Drug abuse has been a constant problem in most countries. Urban districts showcase a variety of drugs available even to minors. This is a very alarming fact that needs to be addressed to immediately. Most teens think that engaging in drugs is the “in” thing nowadays. What they don’t realize is the fact that they are wasting hard earned money and they are harming their personality as well.

Teens turn to drugs because of numerous reasons. One particular reason is peer pressure. Being with a circle of friends who use drugs will most likely influence a teen to use prohibited drugs as well. Another reason is rebellion. They tend to use drugs to irritate their parents more or to get their attention.

If a kid is engaged in drug activities, it has to be prevented as soon as possible. One way to stop this is by enrolling the child in boot camps, brat camps or other educational programs that will help them recover.

The youth serve as the future of the nation and they must be preserved and kept away from drugs as much as possible. Without the youth, a nation’s dream of success will never become a reality.

One serious threat imposed by a teenager is the curiosity for sexual pleasure. Some engage in sex at a very early age and with the lack of maturity in making decisions, they end up getting pregnant and worse, they are susceptible to abortion which may be hazardous to their health as well.

This problem requires immediate attention because the growing number of population will obviously affect a country’s economy. Researches show that there are more pregnant teens in economically poor countries than rich countries. The main cause according to experts is poverty.

The government has made a move to minimize teenage pregnancy. Health educators are conducting comprehensive sex education throughout the country to help save the teens.

One best way to prevent this from happening is to have a great parent-child conversation regarding sex. It will always be fruitful if sex will be learned at home rather than from television and friends.

Teenage anger is a natural emotion or feeling felt by an adolescent when reacting to a situation, thing or person. It is usually triggered by external factors, which can manifest both verbally and physically. In most cases, teen kids become angry because they are hurt, confused and even frustrated.  Like everybody else, teenagers can be angry at some point or another. Anger can be experienced in different levels or degrees, which mostly vary on the extent of the experience that induced the emotion. Some teenager cannot really handle anger, that is why they have a certain outrage resulting to bad behavior. When this happens, parents should always step up and  guide or help their kids manage such a feeling that can be very destructive.