50 Unit 1 Your Development and Relationships
Suicide
Losing someone you love is
very painful. When that person
takes his or her own life, it is even
more tragic. People who knew the
victim wonder if they might have
been able to prevent the suicide.
Some even worry they might have
caused the tragedy.
Among young people, suicide
is a leading cause of death. Experts
give a number of reasons for
teen suicide. Some young people
feel they cannot cope with the
pressures to succeed. Some become
very depressed when a close
relationship ends. Sometimes it is
due to problems at home, school, or
with peers. The young person feels
a great deal of uncontrolled stress
and is looking for a way out.
A suicide attempt is usually a
cry for help. Most teens do not want to die. They want help. They need someone
to listen to them. If young people you know talk of suicide, do not ignore their
remarks. Let them know you care. Encourage the person to seek help from a
trusted adult. Do not keep the remarks a secret even if the person wants you to.
Instead, share your concerns with the parents or another adult who is close to
the person. Sometimes the family may not be aware of a problem or the person
may be afraid to ask for help. Many communities have suicide hotline numbers
people can call for confi dential counseling.
Substance Abuse
Substance abuse involves misusing drugs, alcohol, or some other chemical
to a potentially harmful level. Like other changes to family members, a drug or
drinking problem of one member affects all family members. Extra time and
patience will be needed from each family member to help the person overcome his
or her problem. Money may be needed for professional treatment and special care.
When a family member develops a drug or drinking problem, help is
needed. Family members should not ignore a serious problem or try to cover
it up. These behavior patterns are hard to change. It is very diffi cult for the
person to change without help.
Family Violence
As families change, and pressures and demands increase, a family
member could sometimes become violent. Domestic violence is physical or
emotional abuse of a family member. The victim may be a child, a sibling,
2-15 Death is a part of the life cycle that everyone
must face sometime.
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