In recent years, even weeks, a series of bullying-related suicides in the US have drawn attention to the connection between bullying and suicide. Although many adults still see bullying as "just part of being a kid", it is a serious problem that can lead to many negative effects for victims, including suicide.

Kids today have greater accessibility to methods of reaching their peers after school with social networking tools like Facebook and MySpace. These sites have created an avenue for bullies to publish hateful stories and circulate false rumors to the masses at an incredibly rapid rate. And there's no place to hide, not even at home.

Students who are bullied do not want to go to school. They lose their self-esteem, become fearful, lonely, anxious, and socially isolated. Ultimately, these students are at a greater risk for depression and suicide.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):
* 12 percent of all deaths among youth and young adults in the U.S. result from suicides.
* Nearly 20 percent of high school students surveyed by the CDC report being bullied on school property during the previous 12 months; 5 percent report not going to school at least one day during the past 30 days as a result of safety concerns.
* Perhaps even more telling, 26.1 percent of the CDC survey respondents felt so sad or hopeless for a two-week period or more, that they stopped doing their usual activities, a clear sign of teenage depression.
* Nationwide, 13.8 percent of students reported they had seriously considered committing suicide. The numbers are particularly bleak for female students; 17.4 percent of whom reported suicidal tendencies.

If you suspect that someone is on the verge of harming themselves, or someone else, please seek help immediately by calling 9-1-1 or by going to the nearest emergency room. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, a 24-hour hotline, is also available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.

For more information on depression or suicide, please contact BryLin Hospitals at 886-8200 ext. 2264. A mental health professional will be glad to discuss your questions confidentially.