Recent reports revealed that the teenage suicide rate has continually increased with bullying and depression as the main factors. An 11-year-old boy from Marquette recently died after a suicide attempt as a result of a social media prank caused by bullying.
Tysen Benz died after attempting to take his own life. His mother, Katrina Gross pleaded on social media, asking readers to stop bullying. She mentioned that her son Tyler was caught on life support for almost a month until he died on Tuesday.
The social media prank was not specified but Gross pointed out that it was a form of bullying, Upper Michigan Source News reported. The social media prank remained under investigation, according to the authorities. With the recent suicide case caused by bullying, Tysen's mother called out parents on social media, stating that they should be keen in looking after their children.
"I urge families to speak out, reach out and communicate with your children about life's precious gift and the dangers of the internet and texting and how telecommunications can have the same effects as speaking face to face," Gross stated on her Facebook post. "I want Tysen to be remembered as he was and all the joy he's brought to everyone. Keep his spirit alive by standing strong & fighting against social media bullying!!"
More than 4,000 people commit suicide per year and 100 suicide attempts were from young people, according to the Bullying Statistics website. In addition to the reports, 14 percent of high school students have considered committing suicide, while the remaining 7 percent have already attempted it.
With the height of technological advancement and the popularity of social media sites, educators and parents have to be cautious when it comes to their children's' (especially in teenagers) social media activity. Along with the rise of social media, cyberbullying is taking its toll on the younger generations well, which often causes anxiety and depression.
