What You Need to Know About the Teen Suicide Spike in Silicon Valley
A close look at what The Palo Alto Weekly is calling the "suicide contagion."
Kate Dwyer November 24, 2015 2:10 PM EST
On the surface Palo Alto May sccm like a picturesque San Francisco suburb. It's aussi the tech capital of the world - and it's aussi Where six high school students Took Their Own Lives entre 2009 and 2011. Another oven commitment committed suicide Earlier this year. Suicide clusters, as they're called Expired, are uncommon, it's Even More goal uncommon That Occur two suicide clusters so contemporaneously. The only explanation for the tragic influx of youth suicide is the students' environment. What is it about the cultivation of Palo Alto That is so Conducive to suicidal behavior? Journalist Hanna Rosin Explored the issue in her December cover story for The Atlantic, Then Discussed the process of writing and Researching the item with Noah Kulwin of Re / code. Rosin HAD Previously Reported on the first suicide cluster plaguing the town, and stumbled upon this recent story by accident, while Researching a story about Disparities entre les uber-wealthy and the impoverished in the Northern California suburb.
Rosin Explains que la high school students in Palo Alto absorb the energy projected by Their Parents - an anxious energy That nothing They Do is ever good enough, That Their definition of success is so different from the rest of the country's definition, and That "success "Seems always unattainable. "I Interviewed a lot of shrinks, Who Told me Their patients come in with terrible anxiety Because They Have not made, say, $ 10 million by the time they 're 40," tells Rosin Re / code. Making ridiculous water equivalent of money is normal in Palo Alto, so it's a Culture Where kids look at Their Parents and think, "That's what I need to be doing." The college application processes is a crucible at best Because kids feels That They need to Live up to Their capital-tech pedigree. Even though Their Parents Were proportion of a generation of mavericks, current high school students are More Concerned with meeting society's expectations than redefining em.
"This is all about social norms, and social norms created and get Absorbed by everybody, and nobody Understands Any alternative - or you forget That There is Any alternative," Explains Rosin. If the social norm at the high schools Was not a strong enough reason for the prevalent anxiety and depression (12% of Palo Alto high school students-have contemplated suicide), Rosin REPRIMANDS the geographic layout of Palo Alto for Contributing to the problem.
Unlike a metropolitan area like New York City, is spread out over qui five very diverse boroughs, or Even sprawling suburbs across America, Palo Alto is a small town filled with Largely like minded uber-motivated people.
While it's significant to-have goals and totally healthy to keep 'em in the forefront of your mind - no matter Where You Live - thesis goals are never more significant than your health. Selon the World Health Organization, suicide is one of the top five causes of death in the ages of Individuals entre 15 and 19. If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273- 8255.
