Zaki Soghoian Teen Suicide

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Suicide among

LGBTQ teens
By Zaki Soghoian
1st Period
Ms. Cossick
Suicide in the LGBTQ Community

LGBTQ teens are 4 times as likely to


commit suicide then there straight
counterparts
Statistics show a member of the gay
community will attempt suicide every
five hours
Billy Lucas on September 9, 2010
Age 15
Tyler Clementi on September 22, 2010
Age 18
Asher Brown on September 23, 2010
Age 13
Seth Walsh on September 28, 2010
Age 13
Raymond Chase on September 29, 2010
Age 19
These five gay teen boys have killed
them selves in the last 3 weeks
Teen Suicide In General
 The rate of suicides and
suicide attempts increases
tremendously during
adolescence.
 Suicide is the third-leading
cause of death for 15- to 24-
year-olds
 According to the Centers for
Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), Teen suicide
rates are surpassed only by
accidents and homicide.
 As referenced this is 4 times
more likley for LGBTQ teens.
Factors That Lead to Suicide
Shared by All Teens
 Depression or feelings of loneliness or helplessness
 Alcohol or drug abuse or addiction
 A family history of abuse, suicide, or violence
 Previous suicide attempts; almost half of teens who commit suicide had
attempted suicide previously.
 A recent loss such as a death, break-up, or parents’ divorce Illness or
disability
 Stress over school, relationships, performance expectations, etc.
 Fear of ridicule for getting help for problems
 Bullying or being the victim of bullying
 Exposure to other teens committing suicide, such as at school or in the
media
 Access to firearms or other lethal objects
 A belief that suicide is noble
Mental Illness and Sunstance
Abuse
 90 percent of people who attempt or commit suicide suffer
from a mental illness, such as:
 DEPRESSION: causes a teen to feel sad, lonely, withdrawn, and
unable to accomplish simple tasks.
 BIPOLAR DISORDER: where a teen alternates between periods
of depression and mania, characterized by exuberance, insomnia,
irritability, and inability to concentrate.
 SCHIZOPHRENIA: a complicated condition where a teen has
hallucinations or distorted perceptions of reality.
 ALCHOHOLISM or drug addiction, especially when combined
with another mental health disorder; 20 to 50 percent of suicide
attempts are related to drug or alcohol use.
#1 Increased Risk: Firearms

 The risk of suicide


increases dramatically
when kids and teens
have access to guns at
home
 Nearly 60% of all
suicides in the United
States are committed
with a gun.
Gender Differences and Suicide

 Suicide rates differ between


boys and girls.
 Girls think about and
attempt suicide about twice
as often as boys.
 Girls tend to attempt
suicide by overdosing on
drugs or cutting
themselves.
 Boys use more lethal
methods, such as firearms,
hanging, or jumping from
heights.
 Boys die by suicide about
four times as often girls.
WHY LGBTQ TEENS:
RELIGION
 Christian, Jewish, and Islamic
leaders have been silent in response
to these recent tragic LGBTQ teen
deaths.
 The second-highest-ranking
Mormon leader, Boyd K. Packer,
recently called same-sex attraction
"impure and unnatural“.
 LGBT kids growing up in
conservative religious homes such
as Catholic, Orthodox Christian and
Mormon, are repeatedly told that
“they are an abomination before
God”.
 LGBTQ teens risk excommunication
from their church and sometimes
homes as a result of coming out.
WHY LGBTQ TEENS
FAMILY:
 Teen feel pressure from family homophobia
to be straight leading to increased depression
and self-hatred.
 Parents often send off signals to their
children that they will not accept them
because they are gay,lesbian, bisexual or
transgender leading to despair.
 A high percentage of teen runaways are
LGBTQ. This is often the result of being
kicked out of their homes by angry parents.
WHY LGBTQ TEENS
COMMUNITY BULLYING:
 85% of LGBT kids are
bullied in school.
 Bullying occurs in person,
on-line, over the phone etc.
 “Anti-gay bullying refers to
being picked on, or
physically or verbally
harassed, because of your
sexual orientation or
gender identity. It is a form
of homophobia and can
affect people who are
actually GLBT as well as
those who are perceived to
be.”
LGBTQ people in the MEDIA

 LGBT people are often


portrayed negatively in
television, films, and other
media.
 This is changing with a few
positive role models,
however coverage is still
negative.
 For example, LGBTQ
people are often portrayed
as week or victims or are
just used for comic relief
leaving a queer youth to
believe there are limited
roles for him or her in
society.
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

 Another message to queer youth often highlighted


by the media that they cannot fully participate in
society and are somehow wrong or less-tan their
straight friends,
PREVENTION SPECIFIC TO LGBTQ
TEENS
 Numerous Prevention Efforts have been
launched in response to these recent teen
suicides specifically targetting LGBTQ teens.
 For example:
 The Trevor Project
-focused on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among LGBTQ youth.
 Give a Damn Campaign
-Started by both gay and straight celebrities to get across the message that
they “give a damn” about the LGBTQ community.
IT GETS BETTER CAMPAIGN!

.  An amazing new video


project started by Out
father, writer and columnist
Dan Savage in the
aftermath of Tyler
Clementi’s death. The
videos feature upbeat
statements and personal
stories by adults and
celebrities simply about
how much more fun it is to
be LGBTQ after middle and
high school.
THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT
SUICIDE
 Offer Support
 Listen without judging
 Be gentle but persistent
 Validate Feelings
 Suggest therapy or help find someone they
can trust and talk to if not you
 Help direct them to a suicide prevention
website, talk-line or peer group.
SOURCES
 http://www.teendepression.org/articles1.htm
 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bishop-gene-robinson/how-religion-is
-killing-o_b_764568.htmll
 http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/news/record/2624.html
-2009 National School Climate Survey: Nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT
Students Experience Harassment in School
 w.plannedparenthood.org/teen.../lgbtq.../help-hope-lgbtq-teens-
25426.htm
 http://gayteens.about.com/od/school/tp/bullying_info.htm

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