THEY are young and they have left us too soon.

A Behavioral Science freshman died from drinking silver cleaning fluid a day after filing a leave of absence because of her failure to pay her tuition. She was 16 years old.

A Mechanical Engineering student shot himself with .38 caliber pistol, on his mobile phone was an apology to his family for failing to graduate. He was 22 years old.

A Physical Therapy freshman in a private school killed himself with a shotgun, he failed four subjects. He was 17 years old.

A fourth year high school student took his life in his family's house a week after her girlfriend committed suicide. He was 16 years old.

A Respiratory Therapy freshman hanged herself after she failed to take the mid-term examinations. She had difficulty paying school fees and boarding house rent. She was 16 years old.

These are the stories of Kristel, Daveson, Don Benedict, Jefferson, and Rosanna. They are young people we painfully lost to suicide in a span of two years.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that over 800,000 people die due to suicide every year. This translates to one death every 40 seconds.

The global suicide rate is 16 per 100,000 populations. In the Philippines, its 2.9 per 100,000 population. Suicide rates are said to be lower in the Philippines compared to other countries in the Western Pacific region.

However, it is most likely a case of under-reporting because of stigma and non-acceptance by the Catholic Church. According to a time trend analysis of suicide in the Philippines, incidence of suicide in males increased from 0.23 to 3.59 per 100,000 between 1984 and 2005. Similarly, rates rose from 0.12 to 1.09 per 100,000 in females.

Excerpt from:
Cendaa: Young People and Suicide