Understanding Suicide--Why Would Someone Do That?

It may be difficult for most of us to remember, but being a teenager is a hard job: trying to balance work, play and school while dealing with changing bodies and fluctuating emotions is enough to make anyone depressed. Understanding Suicide--Why Would Someone Do That? is the first of a two-part video series called Teen Suicide: Finding the Will to Live that helps young people understand suicide and identify possible warning signs. Combining an open forum where suicide survivors and family members discuss how these experiences have affected their lives, interspersed with interviews from experts in the field of teen suicide, the program aims to help us better understand this rising trend (today, suicide is the number three killer of young people). The overriding message is that "every single thing in life changes" and that even if something really terrible happens to you, time is the great healer. Considering the target audience, however, I found the video a bit dry (it might have been better to start with actual teen case studies, rather than have a host introduce a series of facts and statistics, followed by expert testimony). I wanted to hear more teen voices. Given the plethora of titles available on the subject, a better (and much more affordable) choice here would be Teen Suicide (VL-1/02). Aud: J, H, C, P. (J. Asala)