14 DAY TRIAL // According to an Illinois panel of legislators, youth in the state is currently experiencing great deals of stress, which could lead to an increase in the number of registered suicides. Just recently, three teenagers took their own lives, and the lawmakers are still trying to come to terms with what happened. They say that the economic crisis is taking a heavy toll on the average American family, which now finds its livelihood coming under fire. At this point, the panel is seeking outside help, so that it could pass programs designed to prevent a drastic rise in the number of teenage suicides.
“We are living at an incredibly stressful time in this country and studies have shown that there is an effect on kids' brains that have been chronically exposed to stress and that ultimately it can lead to (...) development of mental health disorders or issues,” Illinois Department of Children & Family Services Associate Director for psychiatric services Dr. Diahann Meekins Moore told a House committee on Friday. Many families are trying to battle recession, and the atmosphere within the homes may change to the point where some teenagers might not recognize it and thus feel displaced and depressed.
The three deaths that occurred recently may have also been the consequence of excessive bullying that has taken to new extremes in American schools, researchers say. Kids feel like they have no one to turn to, as they are too ashamed to talk to their parents. They refuse to go back to school, are forced to do so, and feel like they have no other way out. Statistically speaking, it's highly uncommon for children aged 10 to 14 to commit suicide, nonetheless it is possible.
“The suicide of a child is not only seen by many as a weakness on the part of the victim, but also as a failure of his family to raise the child effectively. Often parents, school administrators and teachers and religious leaders are blamed for the loss and isolated from the community for their perceived failure to support their own,” the Principal of the Vivian E. Summers Alternative School, Sean Smith, says.
“We have to educate and empower our youth and break down the stigma surrounding mental illnesses and suicide in order to save lives,” Carol Wozniewski, who is the executive director of Mental Health America, in Illinois, adds.