In the U.S. alone, suicide is the second leading cause of death in teens aged 14-19 (Suicide Prevention). This national epidemic is an issue that has slowly become more of an issue with suicide rates rising every year. Authors, poets, and artists all use their mediums of art to try to inform the general public about the tragedy that is teen suicide. Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson uses a fictional, suicidal high school senior named Tyler Miller to show how home life, mental health, and bullying can trigger suicide. Many people believe home is the safest place for a person, but for many teens who commit suicide home life is where many issues begin. “Dad had to leave for a meeting in Omaha or Topeka or God knows where. He and mom had a screaming …show more content…
“I didn’t bother with a jacket. If I was lucky, I’d catch pneumonia and die,” (Anderson 132). After not doing his homework to go to a party with the girl he likes only to be publicly embarrassed, Tyler is quickly feeling nerves of social anxiety and stress. Like many other suicidal teenagers, Tyler’s mental health was not where it should be, causing him to feel slightly suicidal and inclined to want to die to avoid the embarrassment and stress of school the next day. “Stressful life situations such as a breakup with a boyfriend or girlfriend, bullying or victimization by peers, or trouble with the law, in school, or at home may lead to problem-solving difficulties and suicide attempts,” (Teen Suicide). Similarly to the situation in the book, Gale Student Resources in Context explains that suicide attempts can be easily triggered by stressful life events like school or, in this case, embarrassment caused by peers. Twisted accurately portrays the way high school students navigate the social environment, especially when a student is suicidal. By feeling embarrassed and stressed, Tyler’s mental health decreases significantly causing him to feel suicidal. There are many triggers that cause suicidal thoughts or actions like mental health, but the one most people are familiar with is