A major issue among teens in West Virginia is suicide between the ages of 9-19. Starting in 2001 and ending in 2010 there were a total of 313 deaths by suicide in West Virginia. The biggest majority in counties of the deaths were in Kanawha County. Kanawha County has 43 people from the age 15 and 19. Suicide is the most common cause of preventable deaths for teens in West Virginia. In 2014, a total of 22.8 percent by ages 1 to 17, 13by suicides. Currently, in 2017, West Virginia is ranked 17th highest ranking for suicide nationally among the states. In 2014, 8 children took their lives with fire arm. 4 dies of asphyxia, ( a condition arising when the body is deprived of oxygen, causing unconsciousness or death; suffocation). And one also died …show more content…
A lady names Bonnie Clark attempted suicide four times before turning the age of 21. She had once said “ I felt like I had no reason to be on this earth, that no one would love me for who I am, and that my family would be better off without me, “ she eventually said that she realized she was battling depression and gained perspective on how her death would affect her loved ones. Luckily, in 2015, the West Virginia Legislature passed a bill on requiring Middle School and High School students to distribute and discuss prevention for suicide information. Schools and teachers are to attempt to intervene incidents of bullying and harassment and report to the administrators. In 2014, males had committed 12 of the states suicide. Only one female committed suicide that year. Some of the signs of someone wanting to kill themselves are: talking about being a burden, talk about having no reasons to be alive, wanting to kill themselves or others, changes in normal behavior and reoccurring rage. There are many groups in West Virginia on how to prevent suicides some of them are: National Suicide Prevention line, Adolescent Suicide Prevention and Early Intervention, We Take A Stand, Youth M.O.V.E West Virginia,PROUD2BME, Girls Leadership