Case Study Suicide Among Adolescents - Essay Example

Case Study Suicide Among Adolescents John’s parents knew that John had always been an impulsive adolescent, from the time he became a teenager. He was also passionate and had an inventive nature. Many of his friends described him as charismatic. He enjoyed art and literature and philosophy, and was considered to be very intelligent and articulate. When he turned 18 he went away to another state to study at university. It was there that he met his girlfriend, Samantha. Samantha and John were inseparable during the school year, but when the summer came, John told his parents that Samantha had broken up with him because she was changing schools.

At first he seemed upset but more or less normal. Nothing in his behaviour was different than any other young man who had had his heart broken. However, over the weeks that then followed he began to act increasingly strange. He began to sing sad songs to himself and began to drink heavily and use drugs. He drew strange pictures on the walls of his house and even on his clothes. When the new school year began, his behaviour worsened. He began to harass Samantha’s friends, in one case leaving dead flowers on one of their doorsteps, addressed to Samantha.

He also began a relationship with a girl he met on the Internet. This girl was effectively a shut-in with no social skills. At times, their relationship gave the appearance of abuse. John began to make threats about killing himself. His friends tried to support him, but increasingly John pushed them away. His behaviour was sporadic. He stopped attending classes and was often drunk in the daytime. He began to steal from his friends. When walking down the street he would sometimes skateboard into traffic.

He often described the world as evil and as a joke. John’s father, Herman, came to visit John and try to comfort and support him. He told him that he was loved and tried to get him to open up to him. He tried to talk about what was happening, but John was not responsive. Herman had to go back home to go to work. John appeared increasingly agitated and anxious. He withdrew almost entirely from his friends and roommates and no one knew where he was. A few days later he tried to hang himself.

What treatment should be used on John? He is living on a knife’s edge and he needs immediate help. His problems have been unaddressed for too long, in part because he is not being supervised by anyone. Too many of the people who should have a responsibility for him live too far away. That support structure should be addressed. He should be a started on a course of anti-depressants to help even out his mood swings and erratic behaviour. He should also undergo counselling to help him gain some perspective on his situation.

Too often behaviour like John’s is allowed to go unchecked and this can lead to disaster.