More Youth Are Attempting Suicide And It's Unclear Why

For the study, a database of visits at 49 children's hospitals for kids aged 5 to 17 were analyzed. Researchers found that over the past decade "the rates doubled among children that were hospitalized for suicidal thoughts or activity." Half of the encounters involved teens aged 15 to 17; 37 percent were 12 to 14; and almost 13 percent were children aged 5 to 11 years. Girls made up nearly two-thirds of the cases. There's no single answer to why the increase is happening, but there's an increase in anxiety and depression among young adults, as well. According to Dr. Gregory Plemmons of Vanderbilt University, "Some people have theorized it's social media may be playing a role, that kids don't feel as connected as they used to be."