Suicide Among Alaska Native Teens

It is extremely sad that so many Alaska Native teens think they are all alone, life is too hard, and they’re not going to be able to handle it. So instead of turning for help, they leave everyone so lost and confused by ending their short lived life with suicide. It is a tragedy, these lost lives could have been the next scientist to discover a cure for something, but we will never know once they are gone. So be there for your friends and family, you never know when they might truly need you.

Soboleff,R. (Feb. 23, 2005 ) Alaskans Unite to Save a Life today. November 25, 2008. State of Alaska Press http://www.hss.state.ak.us/press/2005/pr022305alaskansunite.htm

Here in the beautiful state of Alaska, the Alaska Native teens are extremely more likely to commit suicide than any other ethnic group living here in the state. Today, suicide has now become the third leading cause of death among Alaska Native teens, and non-native teens as well. Alaska Native males are more likely to actually commit suicide, than a female. But women are known to commit more attempts of suicide then men are. The two leading ways Alaska Native teen commit suicide is by firearms or hanging themselves. Alaska Natives suicide rate is four times the national average. Suicide rates gets worst in the rural Alaska, nearly twice the amount of suicides are committed in rural Alaskan compared to urban Alaska. In rural Alaska, the suicide rate is 40 for every 100,000 people that live there, compared to the 14 for every 100,000 people who are living in urban areas.