This story was originally published in the GenZeal feature of LNP on Sunday, April 26, 2026.
In the past decade or so, America has seen a significant increase in suicides among adolescents and young adults, although the statistics vary across age groups.
While it’s easy to look away from such a difficult topic, we as a community need to recognize that suicide is a serious action that often starts with mental health struggles and a lack of available resources.
Consider the statistics: “Between 2016 and 2021, suicide self-injury cases among patients ages 5-18 seen at children’s hospital emergency departments increased by 168.6%,” the Children’s Hospital Association reported last summer.
Other statistics from the Children’s Hospital Association report we should focus on include: “suicide is now the leading cause of death for Asian American youth” and “(suicide) is the second leading cause of death among young people 10-14 years old.”
These statistics, among others, detail the alarming increase in suicides among adolescents in the United States.
Not only do we need to act to ensure that these alarming statistics decrease, but we must get to the bottom of why more adolescents and young adults seemingly think suicide is their last resort. Is it racism? Sexism? Bullying? Their home lives?
While the circumstances can vary widely, we cannot let them continue to go unnoticed.
People have different opinions about why this increase in suicides is happening.
“I think that it has a lot to do with social media and the phones,” my grandmother, Natalie Basso, told me. “When I was growing up, nobody had phones. You didn’t have social media. Everyone went outside. (Now) everyone’s worried about what the next person’s thinking, and they think since they’re on social media they have to, you know, put on this front that they’re somebody when they’re not, and they shouldn’t be worried about that.”
Today’s children represent our future and have great potential. Some parents tend to focus more on sports, educational achievements and physical health over other aspects, while others, including myself, believe we need to start prioritizing mental health care.
Nicole Strojnyk, a local parent, said, “I think as parents we should be looking for more help with mental health awareness for us and our children.”
We need to encourage kids to find healthier ways to respond to situations and use available resources. And I believe that every institution should put more focus on support for children.
Some adults fail to see the full necessity of mental health support for children, dismissing their issues as “hormones.”
As a young person, I definitely believe that mental health issues are overlooked. We are growing and discovering new emotions and trying to understand how to react to difficult situations. What some adults don’t seem to comprehend is that if a kid is coming to them for help — regardless of their age, race or gender — they should help them.
As a society, we must do a better job of making young people feel that what they say and think matters. Young people should never be left to bottle sad feelings inside, because those feelings could ultimately lead to drastic, permanent decisions.
Suicide Among Children and Young Adults Must be Addressed
By Lillian Basso ’29
This story was originally published in the GenZeal feature of LNP on Sunday, April 26, 2026.
In the past decade or so, America has seen a significant increase in suicides among adolescents and young adults, although the statistics vary across age groups.
While it’s easy to look away from such a difficult topic, we as a community need to recognize that suicide is a serious action that often starts with mental health struggles and a lack of available resources.
Consider the statistics: “Between 2016 and 2021, suicide self-injury cases among patients ages 5-18 seen at children’s hospital emergency departments increased by 168.6%,” the Children’s Hospital Association reported last summer.
Other statistics from the Children’s Hospital Association report we should focus on include: “suicide is now the leading cause of death for Asian American youth” and “(suicide) is the second leading cause of death among young people 10-14 years old.”
These statistics, among others, detail the alarming increase in suicides among adolescents in the United States.
Not only do we need to act to ensure that these alarming statistics decrease, but we must get to the bottom of why more adolescents and young adults seemingly think suicide is their last resort. Is it racism? Sexism? Bullying? Their home lives?
While the circumstances can vary widely, we cannot let them continue to go unnoticed.
People have different opinions about why this increase in suicides is happening.
“I think that it has a lot to do with social media and the phones,” my grandmother, Natalie Basso, told me. “When I was growing up, nobody had phones. You didn’t have social media. Everyone went outside. (Now) everyone’s worried about what the next person’s thinking, and they think since they’re on social media they have to, you know, put on this front that they’re somebody when they’re not, and they shouldn’t be worried about that.”
Today’s children represent our future and have great potential. Some parents tend to focus more on sports, educational achievements and physical health over other aspects, while others, including myself, believe we need to start prioritizing mental health care.
Nicole Strojnyk, a local parent, said, “I think as parents we should be looking for more help with mental health awareness for us and our children.”
We need to encourage kids to find healthier ways to respond to situations and use available resources. And I believe that every institution should put more focus on support for children.
Some adults fail to see the full necessity of mental health support for children, dismissing their issues as “hormones.”
As a young person, I definitely believe that mental health issues are overlooked. We are growing and discovering new emotions and trying to understand how to react to difficult situations. What some adults don’t seem to comprehend is that if a kid is coming to them for help — regardless of their age, race or gender — they should help them.
As a society, we must do a better job of making young people feel that what they say and think matters. Young people should never be left to bottle sad feelings inside, because those feelings could ultimately lead to drastic, permanent decisions.
https://www.childrenshospitals.org/content/behavioral-health/summary/the-state-of-pediatric-suicide?scrlybrkr=ebd89aa7
https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/mental-health-minute/suicide/?srsltid=AfmBOooFknbFAbE4iGlZGdO5MmQ2RK0X6pvEH3AqcZFBZfJciTCcGq1v
https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/our-children-our-future/2003-08