Why is suicide one of the leading causes of death in young people between the ages of 15 and 24?
Suicide is far more common among teenagers and young adults than most of us are aware. Tragically, most of these young people have a completely treatable, biologically-based illness like clinical depression or bipolar disorder. Without treatment, they cannot understand that the painful thoughts and emotions that make their lives so unbearable are symptoms of an illness that will lessen and disappear when treated appropriately. Q: If I’m diagnosed as having a mood disorder, I must be a real loser and my friends must also think of me that way. A: Many famous and successful people have suffered from mood disorders: Winston Churchill, Princess Diana, Tipper Gore, Abraham Lincoln, Georgia O’Keefe, Sylvia Plath, Bonnie Raitt, Mike Wallace, Margot Kidder, Brooke Shields, Drew Carey, and Rosie O’Donnell to name a few. You should not consider yourself a “loser” simply because you have a biochemical illness. The list of famous people above should show you that having a mood disorder does not mea
