Teen suicide has become an increasing issue in the U.S.; it is now the third leading cause of death in teens between the ages of 15 to 24.

Suicide, usually linked to depression, takes the lives of 6,000 teenagers every year in the U.S. alone. On average, that is about 16 per day.

Common symptoms among teenagers who consider suicide are similar to those of depression. Things like changes in eater and sleeping patters, social withdrawal, drug or alcohol abuse, frequent sickness, consistently uninterested in previous interest, mood swings, or just lack of self-confidence or praise are all reoccurring patterns in suicidal teens. Teens often express hints that they are considering taking their own life, even though some are easily ignored.

Health experts advise that when teenagers express any possibility of become suicidal, people close to them should take their risk seriously. Even when teenagers joke around, any mention of suicide should be considered serious because some teens don’t fully express their depression around peers or family.

Ethnically, whites have the highest percentage of suicides and then African-American males are close behind. In a lot of cases, family history of suicide or even genetics affects the risk of suicide in teens. There is even the possibility that some teenagers might not make enough of the chemical serotonin, which is linked to things like appetite, desire, sleep, and social behavior. Either way, suicide is influenced by many every-day factors and is now a considerable threat to the lives of many teenagers in the United States.