<p>It can happen anywhere but recently in our community, twice... beautiful, adored college students.</p>
<p>Please parents, turn off the pressure, these kids are under way more stress than we have ever experienced as a young person (in most cases).</p>
<p>Why? Not sure but maybe:
The constant streaming of internet,
no down time,
the dumbing down of values,
Have you watch a music video or gone to the mall- ugh! porn gone mainstream
keeping up with appearences,
focus on being on the right teams, taking APs, IBs, winning at all cost<br>
kids club sports, year round 3-5xs a week + travel time
It's too much.</p>
<p>I don't think we have any idea what they are expereincing. </p>
<p>Watch the documentry "Race to Nowhere" for a glimpse of high school pressure...</p>
<p>I remember hearing in the early 80s - the most successful business people were most likely C students in HS yet our expectations for our children are so high. </p>
<p>Give your children unconditional love- who cares where they get there diploma, if they get a diploma- don't overspend... good luck, unfortunately some things are beyond our control. Hugs to all who have suffered this loss.</p>
<p>I’m sure your intent is good here, but I think you are walking a fine line with this post. Often, it’s very difficult to determine “why” anybody commits suicide. Often there are issues of undiagnosed mental illness involved, but not always. Please be don’t blame the parents of these kids in your community for what happened, or guess that they may have put too much pressure on their children. By your own admission, you don’t know “why.”</p>
<p>Depression is the factor in suicide. Depression is a medical disease like any other, with physical causes. It may be as slight as the tendency to let situations cause it or such that no matter how much love and attention the feelings of worthlessness persist. As above, do not attempt to lay a guilt trip on parents for not recognizing depression in time to treat it sufficiently to prevent suicide. That is like blaming for cancer deaths- why didn’t anyone catch it when it was early enough to be cured? How many HS teen suicides were you unaware of as parents were sure to avoid admitting that to even themselves, much less in an obituary? The changing minds and bodies of teens makes it difficult to diagnose depression. Is the teen behaving normally or is it an indicator of something? How does the American suicide rate compare to that in Japan or other cultures? How does the suicide rate compare to decades ago? Did you hear about suicides when the young adult was working instead of attending college? </p>
<p>Not a new problem, perhaps a new awareness on your part.</p>