“Suicide is the nation’s second leading cause of death among teenagers.”

—Chintan Turakhia

“For both sexes and all races, teenagers experience the lowest suicide rates of any age group except pre-teens.”

—Mike Males

According to a 1997 nationwide survey conducted by the Public Agenda Foundation and the Advertising Council, a vast majority of adults—nine out of ten—are pessimistic about the future of today’s youth. As analysts of the survey conclude, “Americans are convinced that today’s adolescents face a crisis.” Many social critics contend that the stresses of modern-day society—including violence in the schools, deteriorating family security, and an overdose of disturbing media images—put teens at risk of never reaching their full potential.Teens who have trouble coping with such enormous pressures, some maintain, resort to drug and...