What you can do

It seems the news lately is peppered with somber reports of teen suicides. Whether it's the student from Rutgers, New Jersey who ended his life after being outed online by his roommate, or two students from Northern Collegiate High School in Sarnia — a star athlete and a teenager dealing with mental illness — the reality is the last couple of weeks have seen too many young people taking their lives.

Sixteen-year-old Sarah* from Sarnia was at the movies on a Saturday night when she missed a text message from her friend John*. The next day, after she had gotten off work in the afternoon, she heard the news from a friend that John had died.

"A lot of people started to call and it started to sink in," she said.

Her friend was a happy teen in front of other people, but to his close friends, he dealt with being bipolar, said Sarah. He claimed to only participate in therapy to appease his mother, and so his little brother wouldn't remember him "like this," she explained. But his suicidal thoughts had been around for a while. He would often hint that if he were to kill himself, he'd hang himself, said Sarah. Around the time he committed suicide, he had chosen to go off his medication.

Sarah goes to Northern Collegiate, High School where mental health is not often on the talked-about topics list for school officials, she said. John is not the only suicide from last month at that school.

"Nobody expected the other to do it at all," she said. This other student allegedly had a good relationship with his family, was heavily involved in sports and very intelligent. His suicide still confuses students at the school, and there's only speculation on what could have been going on behind the scenes that stayed hidden from his school life.

"There could be unending pressure we don't know about, pressure to perform, perform, perform," posited Candice Lawrence, a counsellor at Fanshawe College, adding that mental health issues may not be something widely spoken about in the family as another possible reason. Hearing about a classmate who killed himself could be a trigger as well.

Not being able to open up in a supportive environment seems to be a running trend in these incidences. While Sarah's friend opened up to her, he still fought against his mental illness externally to please family. With the other Northern student, what he was facing may never be known. Some teens in the States faced harsh opposition when they wanted to open up about their sexuality.

"There are obviously issues not being addressed in schools," said Sarah, adding that she'd like to see assemblies letting students know there are people in the school to go to for help. "In high school, there are the same problems throughout the years — but new pressures to fit in."

Even kids as young as 10 seem to be dealing with an increased amount of expectations.

"My friends' kids ... they're already experiencing extreme pressure," said Lawrence, explaining parents place such high hopes on their children, put them in multiple after-school activities and take the attitude of "it wouldn't happen in my family" if serious issues crop up.

Some studies show teens' brains are still developing and continue to do so until they're around 24 years old, making them prone to irrational decisions. For them, suicide seems like a release from the pain and they may not realize it's permanent, said Lawrence.

High school and college are huge moments of transition, punctuated by seemingly larger moments full of peer pressure, expectations of yourself and from your family, and change. Whether you've got a younger sibling in high school, or a friend you're concerned about, here's some suggestions of what to look for:

- a family history that included someone committing suicide.

- predisposition to depression.

- isolation from peers, family then suddenly the individual becomes extremely happy — this is because they feel like they've come up with a way to eliminate the pain.

- gives away possessions.

- mentions they've had thoughts of suicide.

People won't open up unless they know they have a supportive environment. Participating in or condoning bullying only further isolates someone who wants to be themselves, whether they're figuring out their sexuality or they're dealing with mental illness. Bullying may seem like a playground- exclusive term, but it affects every age group. Be supportive of friends, and if you are concerned, let them know you're there for them. If necessary, you may be required to talk to their parents.

If you or someone you know need help, contact Counselling and Accessibility Services at 519-452- 4282, located in F2010. You can also call the London Mental Health Crisis Service at 519-433-2023 — they will actually drive out to a person in distress.

* names have been changed