Many people take their lives because of the fear of being put through the pain again. The pain of which is the thoughts of suicide, bullies bullying them and other things that might put pain into them. They cry out for help in many ways, but they are not being heard. On average, “1 person commits suicide every 16.2 minutes” (11 Facts about Suicide) and the time between each suicide is getting lower and lower each year.  Many lives are being ended, but nothing is really being done about it. Yes, there are crisis lines and therapists but no one really under stands what the risk factors and warning signs are, and what could be done before the time comes when they commit suicide and end their life.

“Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for 15-24 year olds and 2nd for 24-35 year olds” (Rachel Eagen 11). There are four main risk factors of suicide and these include: bullying, depression, troubles at home, and sexual identity issues. “Teens who question their sexuality or realize that they are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender have an even harder time in high school than straight students because they feel like outcasts” (Rachel Eagen 19). The people who question their sexuality are confused and don’t know what to do. A lot of people confused about their sexuality tend to be bullied because they don’t fit in and act different. This is a problem because bullying is a vicious cycle that causes many people to end their life. Many people tend to jump to the extreme of killing themselves because they can’t put up with the pain their bully puts them through. They believe the only way to end their pain is to commit suicide. Bullying used to be only physical and verbal bullying. But now there is cyber bullying. Cyber bullying is more common now because instead of people just saying or hurting you physically to your face, they can do it online, and the bullying never ends. To continue, “Teens who are physically, emotionally, or sexually abused by family members feel very frightened and alone… this can lead to depression and unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as self-injury and drug or alcohol abuse... This then can lead to suicide” (Rachel Eagen 31).  Depression seems to be one of the highest risk factors because it can be an effect of bullying, troubles at home and sexuality identity issues. Depression warning signs can also be a sign of suicide that can be caught before a person ends their life.

“41,149 Americans took their lives in 2013” and this number keeps getting higher and higher every year. (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: Understanding Suicide). One reason the number of people committing suicide keeps getting higher is because people do not know the warning signs that can be visible for friends, family, and others. They know suicide can happen but when it happens to their own child, friend, or parent, they don’t know how it could’ve happened. Suppose a person was always on top of their grades, was up at a reasonable time, played their favorite sport, and never fought with you. But now their grades are dropping, they are sleeping a lot, they want to quit their childhood sport, and fight with you all the time now. If there is a dramatic change or things get gradually worse, and you acknowledge it, don’t just ignore it, take action right away. There are other warning signs that include, staying in their room a lot, talking about suicide, dropping out of school, buying a weapon, hoarding medications, showing sudden improvement in mood, telling a friend their secret, not taking care of themselves, becoming undependable on a job, and more.

If you spot any of these signs then you need to do something. Many times the suicidal person wants to keep their secret a secret.  But you need to do everything you can to get that person the help they need, call a crisis line, and encourage them to see a mental therapist. It might be difficult for them to agree, but once they do, they need all the support they can get from you, their family, and friends. Stay in touch with them and never turn your back away from them. “You can also drop by the house, invite the person out to keep them away from committing suicide, but don’t say call me if you need anything because it’s too vague” ( and they most likely won’t call you when they need you and are about to commit suicide.)

Too many lives are ended because of suicide and continue to be ended because of this. The people who ended their lives still had a future ahead of them that won’t now occur because they have passed on. Suppose a freshman in high school ended their life, now they won’t have the chance to graduate high school, get married, start a family, and more. Sadly, instead, they are gone. Forever. Suicide needs to be ended. People rarely know what the warning signs are and what to do when a person you know or you are having suicidal thoughts. More needs to be done before another person who has a future ahead of them ends their life.