the kids over the edge and why they choose to die. Maybe it's the peer .
pressure, or the painful reality of growing up in a time in your life where .
it's important to be accepted by your peers. Or maybe the teen is in a condition .
of extreme guilt or shame, they could be pregnant or might think they are pregnant .
and are ashamed to tell their parents. But the most concrete reason Psychologists .
say there is, is the severe depression some teens go through. They might have an .
extremely bad day or week when nothing seems to go right. Psychiatrists cite certain .
factors that often lead to depression; they include new surroundings, family problems, .
failure, the ending of a relationship, or death. And in some cases there seem to be no .
reasons at all. Just like the case of an African-American male named Todd Robinson, .
who was in the lower risk category for suicide. According to statistics, on any given .
day, only five African-American men can be expected to take their lives. On July 7, .
1987 Todd became one of those men. He shot himself in the head in his room. His .
parents didn't expect anything. He just graduated from high school, had a bright .
future ahead of him, and didn't really have any physical or emotional problems. .
Even after they looked through his journal there wasn't really any clue, but his .
last entry read "Lately the thought of suicide has crossed my mind. I don't know .
why. I have a wonderful family and friends. I have an excellent future ahead of .
me. But I'm going to do it. Mom, Dad, don't fall apart." Sometimes there is just .
no explanation, again there really is no telling what goes on in kids minds as they .
contemplate taking their lives. .
The Centers for Disease Control report that between 1980 and 1993 the suicide rate has .
risen 120% for 10-14 year olds, and for 15-19 year olds it has risen almost 30%. Also, .
between 1970 and 1980 one out of every six Americans who committed .
suicide was a young person between the ages of 15 and 24.