I have read that everyday thirteen Americans, age 15 to 24, commit suicide. Unfortunately, I'm not surprised by this number.

It would seem to me that this problem is largely the result of what I refer to as growing pains. The years of fifteen to twenty-four is the time where the most dramatic and frequent changes in a person's life occur. It often seems as though one wakes up a completely different person every day. Their body is changing, their environment is changing, their emotional needs and wants are changing, and all this change causes confusion. And being confused doesn't help any; it just leads to more confusion, which in turn leads to frustration, which in turn leads to anger, and consequently, foolish actions are taken. It's like a whirlpool; it sucks you in and keeps you spinning and spinning until you either overcome it and get control of your life again, or give up and drown.

It is at these times when confusion and frustration are at their highest that people are most prone to taking their own lives. People who commit suicide don't do it because they want to die. Nobody wants to die! People commit suicide because they are sick of the pain. All they want is for the pain to stop, and if death is the only option they can see open, well then, so be it.

It is my firm belief, and purpose I am attempting to convey to you with this article, that we should not look down our noses at people who think about, have tried, or even commit suicide, because in their minds, they did what they had to do. They were not strong enough to handle the everyday challenges of life. Is that their fault? Maybe, but at that point where they are thinking about, have tried, or have even succeeded in taking their own life, who really gives a shit?

Take it from someone who knows. I've been on both sides of the fence. I've been a victim of suicide, as well as a potential subscriber to its services. I lost my father, while I was at a very young age, to suicide. I know how deeply it hurts. I also almost tried suicide as a way out during a time in my life when I was weakened by my own growing pains. Fortunately for me, however, I was stronger than my father. I was able to continue my fight, and my life.

We are told that life is a gift, and I suppose that it is. It can bring a person a lot of pleasure, but it can also bring a lot of pain. And it is during these times when the pain so greatly outweighs the pleasure, and the strength needed to get up in the morning seems more than we have to give, that has people saying about this gift of life, thanks, but no thanks.

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