Another bully-driven teen suicide

[Dick Whitman]

This has been making the rounds. The parents minced no words in the 15-year-old's obituary, acknowledging that she hanged herself.

"For the bullies involved, please know you were effective in making her feel worthless. . . . To all the bullies out there, I just want you to know that as much as we despise your actions never, ever do we wish for you to feel the paralyzing pain that engulfs our bodies, a pain so severe that it makes the simple act of breathing difficult[.]"

Sadie Riggs: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Relatedly, teen suicide is back on the rise:

Suicide Rates Climb In U.S., Especially Among Adolescent Girls

I was absolutely stunned, as was Mrs. Whitman, who is a second-grade teacher, at the number of boys who stayed the night at our place the other night for Whitman Jr.'s birthday party who came with cell phones in tow. It's going to be a cold day in hell before Whitman Jr. and Mrs. Whitman Jr. carry around those loaded weapons.

 

[User 11148]

Guy I went to high school with (he was a year ahead of me), his 20YO son died a few weeks ago. Kid was evidently very artsy, into music, and had been dabbling in prescription drugs. Per the dad (a radiologist) the kid died of respiratory failure as a result of the mix he'd taken. The dad pulled no punches in his eulogy: "... those of you who encouraged, abetted or otherwise influenced [him in this regard]—and you know who you are as well—then shame on you for your complicity."

 

[Dick Whitman]

Where I used to work, some of the people's kids were stars-in-the-making, just like their workaholic, strive-aholic parents. Ivy-bound. Star athletes. And so on. But some of their kids were hot messes. ADHD diagnoses abounded. There were some bipolar issues.

Whitman Jr. can be an emotional kid - they all can - who takes stuff to heart. And some of the boys his age are already peacocking to an alarming degree. (He's not, but it can't be long before he notices who is getting attention from the third-grade girls.)

I would say a huge reason that I left that job was because I didn't want to any longer outsource more parenting than I absolutely have to for the sake of work. I don't want to be a helicopter parent, either. But I want to be available. I want to talk and guide, as necessary, and to stay on top of things

 

[LongTimeListener]

Relatedly, teen suicide is back on the rise:

Suicide Rates Climb In U.S., Especially Among Adolescent Girls

Interesting and extremely disheartening. Not sure bullying is the only or even primary cause. At least out here, Palo Alto has had a much-discussed suicide cluster that observers believe comes from academic pressure and possibly overuse of medications for anxiety/depression. At least publicly, bullying has not seemed to play much if any role.

There's another wave of explanation coming too, the "13 Reasons Why" trigger.

Two Bay Area families say '13 Reasons Why' triggered their teens to commit suicide