Two weeks ago, my friend shot herself during a suicide attempt. Although she survived, I was still curious as to what made her think that ending her life was the last option she had. I believe that pressure from parents and other authority figures is what led her and many others to feel like they had no other way to solve their problems. I believe that substance abuse, bullying, violent movies/TV shows, and mental illnesses, such as depression, are also possible causes of suicide. Pressure. There are many more pressures that teenagers face today than when their parents were in school. Parents don't understand what today means for their children. They are expected to go to school every day and do eight hours of work. Then they have to make time for after-school activities. Oh, but don't forget about the two hours of homework. Don't forget your household chores. This is, in my opinion, the life of almost all teenagers now. Their parents, teachers and coaches expect a lot from them. They put so much pressure on the kids. How do they manage everything? For some, they can handle so much pressure. For others, they chose to end their lives. Lawrence C. Grebstein, a practicing clinical psychologist for more than twenty years, stated that “They see problems and believe that they are expected to solve them. Sometimes it's too much to handle." Another reason I believe teenagers commit suicide is because of substance abuse. Dr. Issac Sakinofsky, head of the high-risk counseling clinic at the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, said that "a young person in crisis and under the influence of alcohol and drugs is much more likely to make a rash decision and attempt the suicide". About fifty percent of suicides are... half of the paper... Eryl Mascarenhas SPECIAL TO THE STAR. “To curb suicidal kids in crisis and contemplating suicide they need help and understanding, experts say.” Toronto Star: 05 August 1997. ProQuest. Network. April 6, 2014 .2.) COLLEEN FITZPATRICK Journal-Bulletin, Staff W. "Teen Suicide: A 'Fad' That Must Be Addressed." Providence Journal: A. April 12, 1985. ProQuest. Network. April 6, 2014 .3.)Devlin, Collette. "Drunk city teenagers like to 'waste themselves'." The Southland Times: 1. 3 June 2011. ProQuest. Network. April 6, 2014 .4.) Landers, Ann. “WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF TEEN SUICIDE?” Chicago Tribune (pre-1997 full text): 13. January 23, 1988. ProQuest. Network. March 26, 2014 .5.)Perera, Shyama. “The tragedy no one can see coming with teen suicide is in the news again, Shyama Perera wonders if parents will ever spot the warning signs.” The Daily Telegraph: 030. 26 September 2007. ProQuest. Network. April 3. 2014 .