Studies in California and .
Kansas report that about one out of every ten teens questioned admitted to having .
attempted suicide. .
Right now you are probably wondering WHO could be stupid enough to try and commit .
suicide? Psychologists say that there is no such thing as a "typical" suicidal personality. .
But most suicides are committed by white males from middle-class homes. The .
suicide rate for whites is nearly twice as high as it is for nonwhites. Yet, statistics .
say that African-Americans attempt suicide more often than people of other races, .
they simply do not succeed as often. And among Native American youths, the number .
of suicides has tripled during the last 20 years. Studies also show that 25-30% of gay .
and lesbian youth attempt suicide. While there is no "typical" suicidal personality, .
experts say victims do share some common traits: the following is a list of traits from .
Eleanor Ayer's book Teen Suicide Is It Too Painful to Grow Up? .
First is Low self-esteem. People who feel good about themselves, their personality, .
the way they look, have high self-esteem. But those who have a negative opinion of .
themselves, think they have no place in the world, feel inferior to others, have low .
self-esteem. Often, there is no basis for low self-esteem. Talented, good looking, .
kind, intelligent people often suffer from it. .
Next, Loneliness. Lonely people are among the highest risks for suicide. Loneliness .
is a feeling of not being accepted by others, whether by one's classmates, one's parents, .
or other adults. Some teenagers isolate themselves with drugs or alcohol. Some have .
a disability or are made to feel different for religious or racial relations. Some just .
never perform close friendships. .
Third, Difficulty expressing emotions. People who can let off steam easily when .
under stress generally are those who do NOT attempt suicide. Instead, it is the .
person who lets anger or sorrow build up inside, the one who is afraid to cry when .
