Partido State University Laboratory High School Goa, Camarines Sur THE IMPLICATION OF SUICIDE TO YOUTH Submitted By: Quennie N. Quiobe IV-Archimedes A Research Paper in English IV Presented to Dr. Gemmah T. Barcelliano February 1, 2010
Nov 18, 2014
Partido State University
Laboratory High School
Goa, Camarines Sur
THE IMPLICATION OF SUICIDE TO YOUTH
Submitted By:
Quennie N. Quiobe IV-Archimedes
A Research Paper in English IV
Presented to
Dr. Gemmah T. Barcelliano
February 1, 2010
PREFACE
Suicide Statistics for the past years have shown alarming
trends: teenagers are killing themselves at an epidemic rate using
suicide as a way to escape challenges that they are ill prepared to
cope up. On account of this, the researcher intends to find out why
youth suicides have become a global problem. During this time
period there has been an increase of over 250 percent in suicide for
females aged fifteen to twenty and over 300 percent for male at the
same age group.
The study aims to investigate the implication of suicide
among youth using informative data from pamphlets, books,
periodicals and the internet. Written outputs were gathered to
establish the connection between suicide and depression as
discussed in Chapter II. Chapter III aims to educate youth and it’s
guardians about possible signs of suicide and how it can be
detected and prevented.
This paper explains that violence and suicide, as seen in the
public school system, affects teenagers, often leaving emotional
scars and mental health disorders such as post traumatic stress
syndrome. The author points out that prevention of suicide is
important in reducing the number of adolescents who attempt or
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commit suicide. The paper relates that intervention is helping
a teenager, who is in the crisis of committing the act of suicide;
whereas, postvention is addressing the problems and aftereffects of
the trauma of a student having committed suicide.
Much effort has gone into preparation of informative data to
satisfy the curiosity of the researcher. May this paperwork be a form
of self-education campaign to lessen if not totally eradicate
“Suicide”, a tragic word that continue to prey the youth for years.
In making this research, the researcher first get the approval of the
topic then make an outline, the researcher then gathered materials
that can be a source of data and then started compiling the
information in this research paper.
The researcher wish to extend her gratitude to the people, who
contributed in order to make this study a success, for the person
who never fails to give support and love her mother and lastly to
God who gave her strength and motivation to finish this research on
time.
Quennie N. Quiobe IV-Archimedes
Researcher
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface
I. Concepts About Suicide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
A. Definitions of Suicide
B. Theoretical Perspectives of Suicide
C. Viewpoints of Suicide
II. Causes of Suicide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
A. Depression As Suicide Motives
B. Family/ Peer Pressures
C. Anxiety And Mental Illness
III. Dealing With Suicide Attempts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
A. Early Warning Signs of Suicide
B. Detecting Adolescent Suicidal Behaviors
C. Suicide Prevention And Counseling
IV. Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
V. Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Bibliography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
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I. CONCEPTS ABOUT SUICIDE
Every individual is given one life to live to the fullest. The
greatest disaster took place when a young person turns life to trash
and wasted it for no common cause. In this world “suicide” is the
most dreadful word nobody wants to talk about. Yet it should be the
one given attention drastically. The risk of a depressed person
committing suicide is fifty times greater than for those persons who
aren’t depressed. Forty percent of adolescence suicides are
products of depression. It becomes alarming how this happen
amidst this innovative world.
Suicides in early stages of life are difficult to understand since
adolescence is growing up. Complex factors are at work, others
expectation to work like adults yet at times not being old enough for
certain behaviors. What makes this awkward stage critical is
difficulty of adjustment to negative occurrences like stress,
depression and mental pressures. Suicide becomes an available
solution to problems when stress is experienced. A tendency to
impulse action may turn suicidal fantasies into suicidal behavior.
Many teenagers make suicide pacts and unfortunately many
teenagers die as a result of them.
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DEFINITONS OF SUICIDE
The word suicide was first used in England an 1651 and is
derived from the Latin word “suicidum” which means self and kill.
Early society sometimes forced certain manners to commit suicide
for ritual purposes. Webster’s dictionary defines the word as act or
instance of taking one’s own life voluntarily and intentionally. It is
considered a simple way of dealing with life’s problems. The
meaning of suicide continues to be problematic, if we accept it as
an act of self destruction. Religious group consider it as a Sin.
THEORITICAL PERSPECTIVES OF SUICIDE
The most significant contribution of suicide on sociologists is the
belief that impact of an action is in accordance with the law or
norms, which means if ever youth became members of cult, he is
easily brainwashed to the extent of even offering his life to comply
with this norms, like becoming a suicide bomber. The Dramaturgical
perspective created obsessive sentimentalism among youth like in
being broken hearted. A young person becomes too weak to cope
up obstacles and frustrations. His mind becomes totally mentally
blocked. The Existentialist is linked on experimentation, if there is
really life after death. A young person is so eager to find out what
lies beyond the physical world.
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The Alienation perspective occurs when an individual feels that
she is not in control of the situation. A young person becomes
powerless in facing a task that encourages him to accomplish like a
programmed miniature object or like a zombie. He now faced lost
identity crises thus, there is no other way to remedy this but to kill
oneself.
VIEWPOINT ABOUT TEEN SUICIDE
The religious view of suicide conflicted with the sixth
commandment on the Christian Doctrine, “Thou shall not kill”,
which stressed out that suicide is against God’s master plan for the
world.
However, it is believed that mental illness or grave fear of
suffering diminishes the responsibility of the one completing suicide
regardless of whatever stages in life the person belongs. With
regards to the legal view of suicide, in some jurisdictions an act or
incomplete act of suicide is considered a crime. More commonly a
surviving party member who assisted in the suicide will face
criminal charges especially if the person involved is a minor. On the
medical point of view, suicide is a mental health concern associated
with psychological factors such as difficulty in facing distress or
despair. Most young people are serious psychiatric cases.
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Most of them commit suicide and failed on the first attempt,
those who later gain history of repetition have significantly higher
probability of eventual completion of suicide
On Cultural view of suicide, this has a connection with traditions
and customs of state like in Japan where suicide is advised for those
who committed disgraceful acts against the state.
II. CAUSES OF JUVENILE SUICIDE
According to The National Institute of Mental Health, research
has shown that the majority of suicide victims had been diagnosed
with some form of depressive illness. Depressive illness is a
biological condition related to chemical imbalances in the brain and
can manifest itself in many ways.
About a third of people with depression don’t know they have it.
And two thirds do not seek treatment. Millions of people have
depression; the lucky ones are those that can handle it. The most
unfortunate are the young people, not everybody is gifted with
strong will.
But what is really depression? Why is it associated with suicide?
Depression actually is a brain disorder that affects thoughts, moods,
feelings, behavior and physical health.
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People used to think it was all in your head. Experts believe
depression maybe caused by imbalances in brain chemicals called
neurotransmitters. Biologic basis such as infection, endocrine
system dieses, hormonal shifts of menstrual cycle, hypoglycemia,
certain medication, exposure to toxic chemicals, unbalance diet,
anemia can trigger depression changes in thinking pattern such as
memory lapses, loss of self-esteem and paranoia can also be an
excuse. Moreover, depression also is the origin of mood
disturbances like prominent and persistent sense of sadness,
dejection and hopelessness.
Teenage people have different approach in coping depression.
They regarded it as a hindrance to their happiness so they thought
of ways to escape it by hook or by crook if not temporarily,
permanently. This is where the idea of suicide enters. That is why
most teenage suicide letters expresses giving up or surrendering to
obstacles. Most of them express quitting the challenges saying they
can no longer handle the depressions. Such actions are expressions
of stupidity but those should not end there. Suicide could also be
the cause of family and peer pressure. Since adolescents are caught
between childhood and adulthood the often intense and conflictual
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task of separating the world of family can be very difficult when
family dynamics interferes with the child’s, move towards self-
sufficiency. Parents of suicidal adolescents have been found to
display overt conflicts including threats of separation and divorce.
Suicidal adolescents report receiving little affection, hold negative
views of their parents describe time spent in their family as
unenjoyable have been found out to have deficient problem solving
skills tend to have an abuse of drugs and alcohol and see
themselves as different from their parents.
Although many of us use the term depressed as a catchall
phrase to describe ourselves when we’re feeling down, upset,
annoyed, frustrated, angry, or exhausted, depression is actually an
illness. This serious psychological disturbance, only recently
recognized as common among teenagers, is one of the earliest
signals of potential suicidal behavior in adolescents. But all too
frequently even severe cases of depression are missed or written off
as “just passing phase.”
While there’s no sure-fire way of recognizing adolescent
depression, authorities agree that a combination of symptoms from
the following list is highly suggestive of this disorder.
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(1)Mood disturbances. Depression is typically marked by a prominent
and persistent sense of sadness, dejection, listlessness, and
hopelessness. Even if these features aren’t present, a teen’s loss of
pleasure or enthusiasm in all of almost all of his or her activities can
be an indication that the teen is depressed.
(2)Changes in biological functions. Appetite disturbances, sudden
changes in weight, frequent tiredness out of proportion to levels of
physical action, and sleep disturbances are frequently seen either
singly or in combination.
(3)Changes in thinking patterns. Inability to concentrate, memory
lapses, loss of self-esteem, guilt, and unusual anxiety are common;
hallucinations (hearing voices, seeing “visions”) and paranoia
(feeling “something out to get me”) are relatively rare.
(4)Changes in behavior. Social isolation, abrupt changes in behavior,
rebellious behavior, and constant fidgeting or other signs of
hyperactivity are common symptoms of adolescent depression. If
your teenager sits through meals without entering the conversation,
suddenly stops using the telephone, or drastically alters his or her
study habits, you might be dealing with depression.
(5)School problems. An abrupt change in school performance, frequent
problems with teachers, or habitual truancy may be warning signs.
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(6)Suicidal talk or behavior. Fascination or pre-occupation with death,
dying, or suicide is a common feature of depression in adolescence
and is not to be taken lightly.
These signs and symptoms are not fallible warnings; in fact they
are often written off as temporary, meaningless events in a
teenager’s life. This happens undoubtedly because it can be difficult
to distinguish these patterns from the everyday vagaries of
adolescence- in other words, the distinction between normal and
abnormal is primarily a matter of degree. Thus, parents must
consider these key factors- duration, intensity, and seriousness- in
assessing the possibility of depression.
Active peer involvement maybe a way to decrease depressed
feelings and emotions.
Yet sometimes peer group contributes to suicidal thoughts
especially if it gives bad influence. Suicidal adolescents tend to
show greater withdrawal from activities in school. School problems
like frequent problems with teachers can trigger suicides. The
teenage student tends to be very emotional and sensitive especially
when being criticized and corrected and she felt embarrassed and
being subjected to humor and mockery. All of these are results of
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immature behaviors of adolescents. Stress and mental disorders
can trigger suicide, especially when anxiety exists.
Experts say anxiety disorder result from imbalance in
neurotransmitters, with an anxiety disorder one may feel
apprehension, nervousness and if serious, a heart attack. Other
mental disorders like hallucinations, for instance seeing inexistent
people or hearing voices can result to suicide. Adolescents suffering
from insanity found it hard to recover. This mental illness maybe
hereditary or may sprung out from unavoidable circumstances like
when in a state of phobia or trauma, like witnessing violence or
murders. It is no longer strange if these people resorted to suicide
as a form of relief or attaining peace of mind.
III.DEALING WITH SUICIDE ATTEMPTS
Once a teenager has made a suicide attempt it is no longer
possible for parents or friends to ignore suicide warnings. When the
threat of suicide has become an actual attempt the teenager has
reached a point where the pain is intolerable and to live life if it
means to contribute suffering is simply not desirable.
Teenagers who made suicide attempts are signals that
therapists call cries for help. Such children have usually failed in
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their efforts in communicating in so called normal ways.
Their warning signals have probably been ignored or missed by
family and friends. This unfortunate fact is shown clearly on verbal
communications. This may not work out because the teens acting
out rebellious behavior which may have alienated the people whom
they are trying to establish connection. By the time they decide on
attempting suicide such teens probably are feeling isolated, alone
and abandoned by families they need for a base of love and
support.
In addition the fairytale myths which the teens believe in
the happiness equals possessions or things that happiness comes
from having no problems at all rather than from learning how to
cope with and overcome problems and that happiness that comes
from conformity to an ideal rather than the ability to develop one’s
individual strength and talents all tend to handicap the pre-suicidal
teenager because it is impossible to live up to a myth.
Parents of teens who have attempted suicide should try to
understand this behavior is not necessarily perverse. Many therapist
believe that suicide is not a flight but a fight a way to lash at the
world and to punish those who believe who hurt you. The suicidal
attempt of an adolescent can be compared to a child holding his
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breath until he turns blue: he doesn’t really want to kill himself but
he certainly wants to get some attention and scare his parents into
noticing him.
A suicide attempt then is not a crazy or an insane act; it is
oddly enough a defensive action and a problem-solving technique. It
can even be therapeutic since the attempt sometimes breaks the
cycle of depression and pushes the teenager into clearer
understanding of what is really going on in his life.
The person who attempts suicide is obviously very upset
and possibly irrational yet at the very moment of the attempt,
he/she believes the act is a rational one. Frequently after a suicide
attempt, the teenager may feel it wasn’t worth it and may say it
was all a mistake. A bit later the teen may be unable to believe he
or she even tried to commit suicide. And sometimes there really is a
silver lining in the cloud for attempt may be the catalyst that helps
the teen to rebuild life based on realistic goals rather than myths
and productive rather than destructive problem solving methods. If
this is to happen the teenager must have support from others.
If the teenager denies he or she needs help, it becomes the
parents’ responsibility to decide whether to hospitalize the teen to
allow for a cooling off period to everyone
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involved. Hospitalization can be a time for the teen to get
through the very worst of self-destructive feelings and impulses and
to start the threads of disintegrating life together with the help of
professional therapists.
Help for the suicidal teenager after the attempts has been
made often includes three essential ingredients, psychotherapy
preferably involving family; anti-depressant medication to ease the
teen through the bleakness of a post suicidal crisis and a plan for
crisis intervention so that another attempt either will not be made
and or will not succeed. Professional therapists can help teenagers
to discover what they have made it difficult to achieve goals. What
happened to trigger depression, therapists can also help teens
discover ways of escaping from these problems by refocusing on
more productive ways of coping based on individual strengths and
talents. Such a process may take months and parents should not
expect a miraculous overnight transformation. It is not easy after all
to externalize problems and look at them objectively. Parent and
teenager alike must come to believe that if a person has the
courage to die as he or she chooses that person should also have
the courage to live as he or she chooses.
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Every teenager needs the family love and support in order to
develop the courage necessary to make the choice of life.
EARLY WARNING OF SUICIDE
The person who commits suicide will tend to talk about the
attempt prior to the act. Repeated talk of killing oneself should not
be taken seriously. Other than the outright statements “I am going
to kill myself.” “You would be better off without me.” “Nobody
needs me anymore.”
Behavioral clues might include giving away valued
personal possessions, getting one’s house in order as if ready for
departure, unexplained frequent crying, changes in daily behaviors
such as beginning to take long walks at night, poor sleeping habits,
loss of appetite, inability to concentrate and sudden change in
appearance. The following factors tend to describe an individual at
high risk committing suicide; lethal weapon readily available,
detailed suicide plan, severe personal loss, such as health problems
or bereavement and alcohol or drug abuse. Certain warning signs
may indicate serious depression and possibility of suicide:
1. Pacing agitated behavior, frequent mood changes and
sleeplessness for several nights.
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2. Actions or threats of assault, physical harm or violence.
3. Delusions or hallucinations
4. Threats or talk of death
5. Withdrawal from activities and relationship
6. Putting affairs in order
7. Sudden brightening of mood after a period of being depressed
8. Unusually risky behavior such as buying or handling a gun or
driving recklessly.
DETECTING ADOLESCENT SUICIDAL BEHAVIOR
Teenage behavior almost by definitions is erratic behavior.
It’s hard to predict when the sweet considerate teenager will be
suddenly transformed into a sullen selfish ogre or worse a
abusive violent or self-destructive one. No specific behavior is
always abnormal on itself. However, when it occurs in the wrong
place at the wrong time among the wrong people or to an
inappropriate degree almost any behavior is likely to seem
abnormal. Suicidal behavior existed when adolescence was left
alone on his struggles. The feeling of cold treatment he got from
people whom he expects to sympathize with him is enough
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reason for him to quit living his life. Rejections and Naggings
could harm the adolescence thoughts.
Teenage suicides increased more than adult suicides after
stories about suicide. Researchers concluded that the best
available explanation is that television stories on suicide trigger
additional suicides perhaps because of imitation. The influence of
mass media gives greater impact to youth. Guilt could also be
one of mental disturbance of any adolescence that is why she
couldn’t act rational.
She is scared to face the consequences of harsh action
such as getting pregnant at 14 years of age. A teenager in this
situation becomes confused and troublesome especially if when
her family doesn’t know anything about her condition and the
father of her child ran away. There is no other recourse but to kill
oneself or to face the consequence of being curse, disinherit or
alienated from the family.
Other form of suicidal behavior is teenager physical abuse
by means of drugs and prohibited medicines. Drugs such as
ecstasy and heroine are used mainly for pleasure yet it can
damage the brain when overdose leading to suicide.
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Some other suicidal behavior emanates from teenager
addiction to internet sexting. Posing nude on the internet could
make a teenager regret all through his life. The consequences of
his actions could ruin self-respect and dignity of teenagers.
Another study by David Philips examined the relation
between 38 nationally televised news or feature stories about
suicide within seven days after this broadcast was significantly
greater than the number expected. The more networks carrying
a story on suicide the greater was the increase in suicides
thereafter.
SUICIDE PREVENTION
“There are about 50 threats for every successful suicide among
students.” Dr. Whitaker said. And while threats are for more common
among college women than among men, men are three to four times
more likely to succeed in killing themselves- an imbalance that is also
true for population at large women are more able to cry out for help
with their emotional needs than men. Dr. Whitaker said “Twice as
many young students seek help from college counselors.” At Indiana
University in Bloomington, resident assistants are warned not to
challenge students who threaten suicide, analyze motives or try to
handle the situation themselves.
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Youth who seem to be serious at risk are often asked to take
health leaves and get psychological help.
Everyone thinks that if only they had done something else it
wouldn’t have happened. It helps to be an open as possible with them
about the circumstances of suicide to let them know how common
attempts are and generally to treat it as some thing that is not
shameful but genuinely tragic. Suicidal crisis can be overcome by
assistance of concerned people by means of the ff.: 1.) Recognize the
clues to suicide look for signs of hopelessness and helplessness, listen
for suicide threats and words of warning. Notice if the person becomes
withdrawn and isolated. 2.) Trust your own judgment. If you believe
someone is in danger f suicide, act o your own beliefs. 3.) Tell others.
Share knowledge with parents, friends and teachers. If you have to
betray a secret to save life, do it. Never worry about breaking
confidence if someone’s suicidal plans are revealed to you. 4.) Stay
with a suicidal person. Don’t leave a suicidal person alone if you think
there is immediate danger. Stay until help arrives or crisis has passed.
5.) Listen. Encourage a suicidal person to talk. Don’t give false
reassurances that “everything will be okay.” Listen and sympathize
with what a person says. 6.) Urge professional help. Offer to make an
appointment for and go with the person for professional help if that is
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what it takes. Call your community hotline or crisis number for
suggestions. 7.) Be supportive. Show the person that you care. Help to
make person feel worthwhile and wanted.
SUICIDE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT
The development of antidepressant medication and mood
stabilizing drugs in the last 20 years has revolutionized treatment of
depression. Medication can relieve symptoms in most people with
depression and it’s the firs line of treatment for most types of disorder.
Treatment may also help you cope with ongoing problems. Both
medication and psychotherapy can take four to eight weeks to have an
effect. Psychotherapy when combined with drugs may be helpful for
people who have psychological or social components to their
depression.
Such components could include stress, previous abuse,
bereavement, marital discord or financial worries.
Another way of preventing suicide is intensive counseling, school
resident assistants and counselors are in charge of monitoring an
abnormal behavior of students. There are 50 threats for every
successful suicide among students. Some danger signs to be watched
are weeping for no apparent reason, drawing back from friends or
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suffering social or academic crises. Counselors should think of
diplomatic approach for suicidal people for they are very sensitive. At
first they will refuse help, pretend that they are in nice conditions.
Lately, everyone will wonder for their disappearance. There is no other
ways suicidal people escape except to dwell in isolation. Being isolated
from people makes them form final decision that is to end their lives.
Member of Christian congregations are another source of help.
Weekly biblical discussions gave opportunity to the suicidal to
overcome what darkens their mind. The most powerful aid in dispelling
gloom is what the apostle Paul called “the power beyond what is
normal” which comes from God. The most important course of action
that suicidal person should be involved with is a group compose with
compassionate people who can be role models and would eradicate
the suicidal ill feelings. After all in this world there is nothing wrong on
being theologistic, if life is at stake.
“Life is not a matter of chance but a matter of choice.”
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SUMMARY
Teen suicide has been around for as long as recorded history.
Suicide has historically been viewed in different ways in different
places. The Sociological point of view of suicide is related to one’s
degree of social interrogation. The dramaturgical approach to suicide
uses action to explain behavior while the existentialist perspective may
view the choice of death like the choice of life. If one feels alienated
and powerless, suicide may appear to be a solution.
Depression, one of the major causes of suicide continues to prey
on teenage lives. The person who commits suicide will tend to talk
about it prior to the act. The rational suicide approach suggests that a
person does not have to be mentally ill to take his or her own life.
Some researches have concluded that the media
contribute to suicides of teenagers.
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CONCLUSION
Just what constitutes juvenile suicide is not clear today.
Young persons displaying suicidal behavior with constant risk of taking
and gambling with their lives. If death results from such behavior
however it is classified as natural. Sociologists argue that suicidal
persons construct their meanings of suicide and motivations for
committing it out of collective values upon which the social structure
rests.
Meaning of suicide arises out of what people think, feel or do.
Adolescents are more likely to become suicidal for the fact that they
can easily be brainwashed. Most adolescent nemesis is depression. For
suicidal persons this act becomes an easy solution to problems or
permanent answer to temporary set of problems. Suicide can be a
rational act and one does not have to be insane to take ones life.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kolodny, Robert C.; Kolodny, Nancy J.; Bratter, Thomas E.; and
Deep, Cheryl A. How to Survive your Adolescents Adolescence ,
Canada: Little, Brown & Company, 1984
Leming, Michael R. and Dickensan George E. Understanding
Dying, Death and Bereavement, New York: Holt, Rinehart and
Winston Inc., 1990
Decisions for Health , New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston
Inc., 2005
Questions Young People Ask Answers that Work. Brooklyn,
New York, U.S.A: WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF NEW
YORK, Inc., 1989
http://www.papermasters.com/suicide.html
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=suicide
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide
http://ideas.repec.org/p/nbr/nberwo/7713.html
http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861716781/suicide.html
The Mayo Clinic. “Depression: More than a Bout of the Blues.”
Health and Home, September- October 2001, pp.43-46
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