Introduction: Suicide has become one of the biggest social issues over the world; it’s frequently being reporting in our society but few or no effort being done to avoid or stops this act. Suicide has become one of the biggest social issues over the world; it’s frequently being reporting in our society but few or no effort being done to avoid or stops this act. In 2012, WHO reported 100,000 suicidal cases under the age of 15-19-year-old internationally and Human right commission of Pakistan reported about 5,000 to 7,000 suicidal cases yearly.

Aim: The paper aims to discuss suicide, identify it causes and risk factors and recommend ways to limit its rates.

Results: Various factors contribute to this behavior. American Psychiatric Association mentioned some of the causes of teen suicide which include depression, alcohol, drug abuse, aggressive, disruptive behaviors, family lose, instability, feel alone, loss, humiliation, poor grades, trauma, failure in relation, unplanned pregnancy, scolding by parents, separation, divorce etc.

Recommendations: National action alliance for suicide prevention suggests some preventive measures from suicide include mental health services and resources, suicide prevention training, life skills and social network promotion.

Suicide; Teen suicide; Suicidal behaviours; Depression; Teenage

Ali Mistry SH, Ali Mistry SH, Widhani MM (2020) Kill Sadness Not the Self: Teen Suicide. Ann Nurs Pract 7(2): 1113.

Life is the beautiful and blessed gift of God. He has the only right, when to born and when we pass on from this world. There are many difficulties in life; it can be hard, painful, tough, full of problem, but we don’t have right to do anything bad with it [1]. Regrettably there are many people from over the world including Pakistani who commit suicide. By doing suicide we go against the God.

Suicide as a social issue

Suicide has become one of the biggest social issues over the world; it’s a usually faced problem of our society, but few or no effort is being done to avoid or stops this act. According to Oxford English Dictionary, suicide is an act in which a person takes his own life, or dies by his own [2]. Few years back a case was reported, 14-year-old, Yaqoob, student of a government high school from Batgram, committed suicide because of having less interest in studies.

Kaleem, father of Yaqoob, told that his son was not willing to go to school due to less interest in studies and he was also bullied by his teachers. Kaleem used to scold him because of his behaviour. Yaqoob, after frustrated from harsh behaviour of his father and school teacher committed suicide by shot himself with a pistol [3].

Teen suicide and associated factors

Teenagers suffering from frustration every day, but they deal it by friends, peer, family, activities. There are supporting groups for teen, they without supporting groups are not deals with their frustrations, can’t share their problems, feel disconnected and isolated them self, they are at high risk of suicide [4]. Like above case of Yaqoob, he had no supporting group, he was frustrating, no one can identify his lack of interest in study, even his father always scold him, not tried to find the reason behind it.

Teen suicidal is mainly due to depression, alcohol, drug abuse, aggressive, disruptive behaviours, family lose, instability, feel alone, loss, humiliation, poor grades, trauma, failure in relation, unplanned pregnancy, scolding by parents, separation, divorce, and many others reason mentioned by the American Psychiatric Association. It also stated that 53% of teenagers commit suicide is substance abusers [4]. Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) reported in 2012 that the causes of teenage girl’s suicide are poverty and uncertain future. Dr Murad Musa Khan, chairman of psychiatry department at AKUH stated some cause of teen suicide is academic pressure, relationship problem, self-stresses, hopelessness [2].

Teen suicide is a shocking trauma for the entire family. Their family suffer from psychological and social isolation which has the greatest impact on their health, deep psychological difficulties, anxiety, depressed, thinking of the deceased every day, some of the family member also have a thought of committing suicide themselves. According to socio-culture aspect, the family feels shame, guilt, fear, accountable for that action that “what other people would think”, and many more [5]. According to my point of view youth are the future of the country if they do this action their society suffers a lot, get hopeless, discourage and many more. By one teen action others also get motivated of doing the same; they feel this is the only answer of every problem.

About to one million people die by committed suicide over the world, one death every 40 Seconds. Under the age of 15-19 year-old, 100,000 teenagers killed by suicide internationally. In fact, 75% suicide has done in low and Middle income countries worldwide [6]. Human right commission of Pakistan reported that about to 5,000 to 7,000 people commit suicide yearly. Moreover, about 50,000 to 15,000 cases have reported of attempted suicide across Pakistani people under the age of 30 [6]. HRCP reported for 2011, that “there were 1,153 attempted suicides across Pakistan and 2,131 suicides with five or six teenagers attempting suicide every day in Karachi” [2].

Points to ponder “Don’t dismiss a threat as a cry for attention!” Feeling distressing, anxious, having difficulty in sleeping, don’t like to eat, harm other and own self. These all are the warning signs have given by the suicide attempting person. Parents, friends, peers should identify the warning signs by giving attention to threat rather than take it unserious or saying that they are just want to gain attention as mentioned in above quote. They can also identify warning sign by asking question, “Do you ever feel so badly that you think about suicide?” or “Do you have a plan to commit suicide or take your life?” [7].

Teenagers are usually more close to their friends, so I suggested that they should keep eyes on them, if they feel that any behavioural or other changes occurring, they should talk and find out the issue; help them out in solving their problem. Many adolescent don’t like to share the issue with their parents, as their parents are not much closer, so they take the wrong steps by themselves. I recommended that parents should make a friendly relation with them, so they feel comfortable to share their all issues. According to the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention some preventive measures from suicide include, “mental health services and resources, suicide prevention training, life skills and social network promotion, and many more” [8].

The timing of one’s life end is already decided. Life is a gift; we must enjoy it along with care. It’s our life, why we misuse it. We have to stand against the suicidal attempt; tell the world that the suicide is not the answer of every problems, it’s only the way of running from the difficulties and hard situations when we stop thinking other options. It is a great challenge for us, help someone who needs, give comfort, give hope to hopeless, and own self too [2].

1. Foster A. No one should have the right to die until god is done toying with them. The Onion. 2014.

2. Gangte IJ. Suicide. 2012.

3. Bullied student commits suicide in Charsadda. Dawn. 2012.

4. Crouse JS. Sad truths about Teen Suicide. American Thinker. 2014.

5. Lindqvist P, Johansson L, Karlsson U. In the aftermath of teenage suicide: A qualitative study of the psychosocial consequences for the surviving family members. BMC Psychiatry, 2008; 8.

6. WHO. One million people including 7,000 pakistanis commit suicide every year. Pak Destiny. 2012.

7. Kroning M, Kroning K. Teen depression and suicide: A Silent Crisis. JCN. 2016; 33: 78-86.

8. McIntosh WL, Spies E, Stone DM, Lokey CN, Trudeau ART, Bartholow B. Suicide rates by occupational group - 17 States, 2012. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2016; 65: 641-645.