Teen suicide is a serious epidemic plaguing American middle and high schooler’s. The problem is spreading to every region, but El Paso County is one of the most affected. El Paso County has the highest teen suicide rate in the entire nation, according to Newsweek.com. Schools in District 20 have seen an incline of student suicides in the past couple of years. Discovery Canyon High School had a cluster of suicides between late 2015 and summer of 2016. A cluster is an unusually high number of people in an area that take on the act of killing themselves (or attempt to) in a short period of time. At DCC, five students from the school of 1,180 died by suicide between late 2015 and summer 2016, “a rate almost 49 times the yearly national average for kids their age” (NewsWeekly.com).  As of mid-October, the total number of teen suicides this year in El Paso County is 13, one short of the overall  total for all of 2015.  Newsweek stated in their article that social media is to blame. “Instagram pages for kids who kill themselves sometimes contain hundreds of comments. Many are about how beautiful or handsome the deceased were, how they can finally rest in peace and how there should be a party for them in heaven. The message seems to be that if you kill yourself, you’ll not only end your suffering but also become the most popular kid in school” (News Week). This mentality is what schools and support groups are trying to address. 

Air Academy has counselors available to talk to and teachers are always willing to give students support. A new group at Air Academy is called “No Place for Hate.” The goal of the student organization is to address the problems of bullying and its role on suicide.

Warning signs aren’t always obvious, and they may vary from person to person. Some people make their intentions clear, while others keep suicidal thoughts and feelings secret.  Colorado’s Child Fatality Prevention System, which investigated all youth suicides in the state from 2010 to 2014, identified risk factors, including family arguments, relationship breakups, and physical or emotional abuse. 

Some researchers speculate why Colorado Springs has such a high suicide rate. Some blame regional factors, like the nearby Army and Air Force bases, as the children of people serving in the military are at elevated risk for suicidal thoughts. This is because a parent’s deployment can lead to increased responsibilities at home, emotional problems and possibility of the parent’s death. Some blame the high altitude, which researchers have linked to suicide.

If you ever have suicidal thoughts or feel that a friend is showing the symptoms mentioned above, you should tell a trusted adult, teacher, or counselor. You can also call Safe to Tell if you would like to stay anonymous.