Suicide, Violence, and Depression (In Teens) By: Michael Warner and Teddy Christensen

Our Theme Our theme is teenage relationships and how they can lead to violence, depression, and/or suicide This relates to Romeo and Juliet because: - Romeo + Juliet - Romeo + Paris - Romeo + Mercutio + Tybalt

Proof it Exists in Romeo and Juliet Violence - (Mercutio): "Good King of Cats, nothing but one of your nine lives, that I mean to make bold withal, and, as you shall use me hereafter, dry-beat the rest of the eight. Will you pluck your sword out of his pilcher by the ears? Make haste, lest mine be about your ears ere it be out. ( ). o He's about to FIGHT ROMEO. This simply proves that there is violence in Romeo and Juliet, because later on Mercutio dies by Tybalts hand, and Tybalt dies by Romeo's. Depression - (Juliet): "O, break, my hear, poor bankrupt, break at once! To prison, eyes, ne'er look on liberty. Vile earth, to earth resign. End motion here, And thou and Romeo press one heavy bier" ( ). o Romeo has been banished and Juliet is depressed that she can't be with Romeo. She wants to kill herself. This isn't any ordinary sadness, this is surely depression Suicide - (Juliet): "Oh, noise? Then I’ll be quick. Oh, good, a knife! My body will be your sheath. Rust inside my body and let me die" ( ). o Juliet just saw Romeo's body and plunged the knife into her chest.

Research Question and Topic Our research question: How do relationships affect violence, suicide, and depression in American teens? o Whether it be through family members or a boyfriend/girlfriend, or even just a friend, all relationships affect these issues. Teenage suicide (and/or depression) surely applies in our society today. As sad and tragic as it is, so many teens commit suicide every day because of relationships. Usually this applies to someone loving somebody, and not being loved back (whether it be a parent who shows abuse, or someone who doesn't like someone back). This is a major issue.

Research Let's start with violence "In a survey last year of 558 6th, 7th, and 8th graders at a suburban Indianapolis middle school, researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that 80 percent of the students reported they had bullied another classmate in the past 30 days" ( Portner, Jessica ). "...in many of these relationships adolescents act aggressively toward each other and this behavior appears almost as early as relationships emerge" ( Connolly, Jennifer ). "Aggression in adolescent dating relationships is of high concern. There are negative psychological consequences as well as the risk of physical injury" ( Connolly, Jennifer ). Reports of bullying, especially after relationships emerge, definitely show that relationships affect violence. Also, this research shows that violence can cause psychological consequences (depression) and physical injury (attempts of suicide).

Research Cont... Next comes depression. "Depressed and suicidal people can work hard to hide feelings while functioning socially and academically" ( Diskin, Padawer, Ruth, and Colleen ). "Experts believe there are genetic, neurological, psychological, social and cultural factors that influence who will attempt suicide" ( Diskin, Padawer, Ruth, and Colleen ). Not too many facts were able to be contributed towards this slide, however they do prove that anyone can be depressed or mentally unstable. The last fact also proves that depression (a no-brain-er) influences suicide. However, depression may also provoke people, causing violence in and out of relationships (or it may be caused BY violence in or outside of a relationship).

Research Cont... Lastly, here's suicide "In teens and young adults, a suicide attempt is frequently preceded by conflicts with parents, problems with a romance, bullying, academic difficulties or the death of a parent" ( Diskin, Padawer, Ruth, and Colleen ). "Suicide is the third-leading killer of 10- to 19-year-olds in the United States, yet only one in 10 schools has a plan to prevent it" ( Portner, Jessica ). "Youth suicide rates have tripled in the past 30 years, reaching an all-time high of 2,700 fatalities in 1997" ( Portner, Jessica ). This is obviously a huge problem. So many teens and students are committing suicide; and facts show it's because of violence and relationships that lead into depression, and ultimately suicide.

Linking to Romeo and Juliet Our research really does link to Romeo and Juliet in multiple ways. For example, violence emerges when Romeo and Juliet marry each other. It brings Tybalt to want to kill Romeo, which causes Mercutio's death, and then Tybalt's. Eventually, this leads to Romeo's exile, causing both Romeo and Juliet to be depressed because they can't have each other. Eventually, Romeo is lead to Juliet's body, which leads to Paris' death. Lastly, Romeo commits suicide and Juliet awakens to do the same. All of the facts show that relationships (whether they be between friends, family, or a partner) affect violence, depression, and/or suicide. "For never was a story of more woe Than this of Juliet and her Romeo" ( ). o This quote is from the prince, who is saying it's a tragedy that they both died because of each other, and that there is no sadder story than this one. It had ultimately involved violence, depression, and suicide, all because of Romeo and Juliet's relationship.

Linking to American Teens Since all of our facts were from research in schools in America, it's a given that relationships affect these 3 factors in teens especially. Relationships affect teens in ways that are sometimes hard to believe, but they're true. Kids bully, abuse, and become depressed every day because of relationships with peers, and with adults (mainly parents).

Thesis Statement Here is our research question again. How do relationships affect violence, suicide, and depression in American teens? To conclude, here is our these statement. Relationships affect violence, depression, and suicide in a completely negative way; they promote and cause much more of this behavior than normal.