Havingsmbbledtheirfinalthoughts
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ESSAY shrug at the tenacity of organized crime, the duplicity of politicians, the bully-boy reputation we are gaining around the world. Young people, though, maynot be soresilient. With-" Die ¥)uth? out the armor of age, they are bound to be affected by the cynicism of their elders and the shoddiness of their world and, in some cases, bound to embrace the empti ness that, to some, must seem all that awaits. BY FRED BRUNING In a newspaper essay, Brian Noal Mittman, an 18- year-old freshman at Dartmouth College, wrote: "To day's teens don't like what they see, and feel helpless Having smbbled their final thoughts about changing their prospects. They feel lost in an in on a paper bag some weeks ago, four tricate world . They feel it is best to live for the young people — two boys, two girls — moment, to have fun whfie they can. And for those who gassed themselves to death in a ga are truly distraught and disgusted, suicide seems the rage behind a Bergenfield, N. J., only answer." housing complex. Their choice of sta The boy writes from experience. One of Mittman's tionery was melancholy and more than a little appropri high school acquaintances killed himself with a shotgun, ate: In a society where we deep-six everything from and last year, Mittman recalled in his article, a despon supermarket sacks to aging automobiles, suicide may dent young woman Mend was saved at the last moment seem to make a certain horrid kind of sense. Disposable only by the timely ring of a telephone. diapers, disposable flashlights, disposable marriages, While Mittman, at Dartmouto, may speak for the disposable ethics in the White House, disposable stan children of privilege, the Bergenfield deaths drew atten dards on the television screen. Why not disposable tion to another category of Idds — "bmiiouts," as they lives? are called. The term applies to youngsters who are nei In such an atmosphere, the young — passionate, ther preppy nor jock, who dress tough and act accord self-absorbed, so easilytaken by despair — may be most ingly, who do not see themselves as college material, or at risk. Between 1950 and 1979, the suicide rate for come from families that view higher education as unnec those in the 15-24 age range tripled, and while the pace essary or beyond reach. has leveled off, the number of deaths remains extraordi A walk past almost any high school suggests the nary. About 5,000 young people successfully plot their ranks of alienated young Americans — burnouts, if own destruction'each year, and authorities estimate that you will — is increasing steadily. There, at curbside, another 400,000 attempt suicide but fail. the kids hold court, arrayed in denim and spangles, A day after the Jersey episode, two young women spike heels and hot colors, nonchalant yet formidable, near Chicago achieved oblivion by way of the exhaust their territory^ defined by an inversion of cigarette pipe, and within a week, a 17-year-old boy and his 20- smoke. Dress and demeanor are imperfect indicators year-old girlfriend were found in the verygarage used of personality and character, but one cannot help sup by the Bergenfield teens. Although the stall was filled posing that the burnouts are, in fair measure, what with carbon monoxideand the young woman was hand they appear —uncertain, disaffected and only margin cuffedto the steering wheel, an alert copfoiled the cou allyprepared for a future in an economy wed to mega ple when henoticed a padlock had been forced from the bytes and microchips. door. Still, the incident rocked Bergenfield anew. "It's Tom Rizzo, a contractor whose son, Thomas, 19,was incredible," lamented a local storekeeper. "Absolutely among the four discovered in the Bergenfield garage, amazing." has a notion that much has changed since he was a boy. Some experts are less astounded. They say that "When I was young, the only ones I canremember com troubled youngsters arehighly susceptible tothepower mitting suicide was the sons ofmovie stars, the filthy of suggestion and that news of one tragedy may prompt rich orthelowest poor," Rizzo said. "Iwould never think of suicide. I can't believe he did." another. "When four kids commit suicide in a dramatic But young Rizzo had problems that are as familiar in way, we're going to have disturbed kids who are going to America ascandy wrappers attheside ofthe road. Like copy," said Pamela Cantor, president of the National the Mends who died with him, Thomas Rizzo did not Committee ofYouth Suicide Prevention. complete high school. At the time of his death, he was It probably is fair to assume, too, that network cov legally intoxicated. Tests showed that all the victims -- erage and solemn front-page stories can act as deter rLo, an 18-year-old buddy and two sisters, aged 16 md rents. There is little inspiration, after all, m close-ups 17 had used cocaine within two hours of their death^ of grieving parents, weeping friends, and corpses des No one is suggesting that we lament our fortune and tined for the morgue. , , call for aretreat to the good old days. What days would Media attention is not the issue many event. Head those be, in any case? Stai, we had better take a long, lines and photographs amount only to the last step ma honest look at our own time. We h^ better ask our very long progression, an epitaph but hardly an selves whether our children are bemg well served m Kids commit suicide for all kinds of school and in the home, whether we have asystem that that Trouble with family, school, boyfriends, gmi challenges the mind or snuffs the ^ Mends finances, peer pressure, drugs, alcohol, ^x our mad dash for comfort, im^S there is no shortage of possibilities. But is it mistaken to scendent TV dinner, we have lost sight of the importan cat iVinl something has lurched in our nation^ life, and glorified the trivial. „ „ S^well that our equilibrium, at least temporarily, is 0,^ and irvi^ about the f deed, seems capable edgy. Look at Rizzo suggests, we all have anghttoteei eagy. that SnSesrf this worlds have made. ^ Who wouldn't bewomedJ Fred Brwnvng is aNewsdxiy staffwriter. Medics WHEN HOPELESSNESS SETS IN, WARNS PSYCHIATRIST AARON BECK, SUICIDE CAN BE CLOSE BEHIND Donald Manes tried to cover up a January suicide attempt, lying to the press, but died by his own hand InMarch. "Suicidal people believe life can only get worse," says Dr. Beck (right). As investigations into allegations of through severe stress such as disap MOOD CLINIC briberyand extortion in New York City's pointment in their careers or a break government continued, Donald Manes, up of a relationship. They exaggerate CfcNTPR FOR COGNITIVE THERAPY 52-year-old former borough president their problem or its consequences. of Queens, last month took his own life. That his father also had died byhis own Was DonaidManes an exampie ofthat? hand renewed long-running specula We don't know what was going on in tion thatsuicidal tendencies might be Mr. Manes' mind, but if he assumed that sharedby family members. he would always be miserable, that A leading expert in the field is Dr. would be irrational. We've seen a whole Aaron T. Beck, 64, professor ofpsychi raft of politicians in Pennsylvania in atryat the University ofPennsylvania dicted, and it wasn't the end of their School ofMedicine. A graduate of worlds. Public figures sometimes be Brown and the Yale medicalschool. lieve they have let down their country Beck has conducted decades-iong sui or community, their associates or fam cide studies and conceived ofa "cog ily, and they can't go on. Sometimes nitive therapy"seeking to reverse de they romanticize the act of suicide. pressive moods through reason and problem-solving. With correspondent Are therepersonaiity traits that identify Glovanna Breu, he discussed what we peopieassuiciderisks? that has a dampening effect on im know now aboutsuicide. There is no single profile, in general pulses, like shock absorbers on a car. they don't like to feel bad and they Other factors include a low capacity Whatkindofperson commitssuicide? look for quick fixes to avoid feeling for solving problems—and alcoholism. People who have a negative image bad. They have less control over their of their lives. The critical factor is a angry feelings and violent impulses. is a suicidai tendencya famiiy trait? sense of hopelessness that is charac They also have low serotonin, a neural The idea may seem siliy, but peopie teristic of people who may have gone biochemical substance in the brain do inherit the temperament that, when CONTINUED 93 Like his older brother Ernest (at right, center photo), Leicester Hemingway (left) was an author who shot himself, as did their father. ! * Poet-novelist Sylvia Plath wrote of a suicide .r •• xT' ' Pulitzer Prize poetJohn Berryman (above) attempt in The Bell Jar, published just '7K " leapt from a Mississippi River bridge in 1972. before she took her own life at age 30. ' V- His father killed himself with a shotgun. Medics- more frequently than women, but Significantly, they may have crying women make nonfatai attempts at spells and appear unusually sad. combined with other factors, could least three times more frequently than lead to suicide. We know this from a men. Catholics are far less likely to Shouldfamily orfriends try to help them study of adopted children in Denmark commit suicide than other religious de by "talkingout" theirproblems? who were reared apart from their bio nominations in this country. Ethnic It's important for them to know logical parents.