The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released worrying statistics on Thursday that revealed that suicide attempts by teenagers are increasing. The new statistics showed that 6.3% of teens attempted suicide in 2009 and in 2011 that figures jumped to 7.8%.
The CDC gathered its information from the 2011 National Youth Risk Behavoir Survey or YRBS. The survey is designed to locate health-risk behavior amongst teenagers and young adults that are related to violence, sexual behaviors, drugs, alcohol and injury.
The survey showed an increased number of suicide attempts, but also showed an upswing in the number of teens texting while driving a vehicle and an increased about of use of marijuana amongst teenagers.
In the survey, nearly 16% said they had seriously thought about committing suicide. That percentage was only 13.8% in 2009. The survey also noted that nearly 13% of youths had admitted to making a plan for a suicide. That figure in 2009 was only 10.9%.
The problem of teen suicide has long been a topic of great concern. Today with cases of cyber bullying being highlighted around the world, many medical experts are worried the rates will increase even more. Tyler Clementi, a student at the University of Rutgers committed suicide after a sexual encounter that included him was streamed online by his roommate.
