Youth suicide is when a young person: generally categorized as someone below age 24, deliberately ends their own life. Rates of attempted and completed youth suicide in Western societies and other countries are high For example, in Australia suicide is second only to motor vehicle accidents as the leading cause of death for people aged 15–24,[1] and according to the National Institute for Mental Health, suicide is the third leading cause of death among teens in the United States.[2] In India, one-third of suicides are young people 15–29. In 2002, 154,000 suicides were recorded in India.[3]
One of the problems is getting psychiatric counseling when it's needed.[6] "In teenagers, depression is considered a leading - if not the leading - cause of teen suicide.".[7] Gay teens or those unsure of their sexual identity are more likely to commit suicide, particularly if they have suffered bullying or harassment. In Canada, almost 300 young people take their lives each year. Some Aboriginal teens and gay or lesbian teens are at high risk, depending on their community and their own self esteem.[8] Several campaigns have been started to give them hope and help them to feel less isolated.
