Psychology: How much does emotional turbulence versus social hostility count as an explanation for teen suicide? Or is it a combination of the two

Psychology

How much does emotional turbulence versus social hostility count as an explanation for teen suicide? Or is it a combination of the two?

Suicide is the intentional killing of oneself for a variety of reasons. Recently, a study has revealed an increase in the number of teen and teenage suicides. It is crucial to highlight that suicide is not just caused by inner turmoil, but it can also be triggered by societal antagonism. Teen suicide is caused by a combination of inner turmoil and social antagonism. Emotional turbulence is defined as a disruption in emotional effort and well-being. These encompass anxiety, rage, bereavement, and despair. On the other side, social hostility is a condition of ill will and poor emotion caused by a variety of factors such as shame, rejection, social exclusion, and not being acknowledged by the community. These two elements have had a significant impact on teen suicide.

Drawing upon Kohlberg’s theory of stages of moral development, Gilligan’s theory of caring, and Erikson’s psychosocial stages theory, discuss reasons why an adolescent might turn to suicide.

Crisis of identity. As per Erikson’s concept of psychological phases, teenagers have a challenging period when their bodies are shifting and maturing (Mitterer, Martini & Coon, 2018). The shift from adolescence to adult introduces the concept of becoming self-sufficient in choice-making, engaging in various duties, and integrating into the community. At this moment, the teenager may feel pressured and confused about his or her responsibilities, which may lead to suicidal ideation.

Inferiority. The teenage phase is a significant source of a child’s self-esteem. As per Erikson, it is at this period when the teenager feels the need to gain acceptance by demonstrating important abilities prized by the community and his social groupings. Failure to do so creates a sense of inadequacy and a dearth of inclusion in the community, which leads to suicidal ideation.

Observing societal order. According to Kohlberg, a teenager is maturing and absorbing the larger norms of the community and hence struggles to follow them in order to avoid embarrassment (Mitterer, Martini & Coon, 2018). Failure to do so may end in suicide.

Using one of these theories, suggest how to help a teen who has been a victim of bullying.

Carol Gilligan’s concept provides a process that can assist a bullied sufferer. Carol proposes that, depending on her idea of justice-based ethics, a sufferer of bullying can only feel safe and attended to if the bully is penalized (Mitterer, Martini & Coon, 2018). The survivor of abuse can regain her/his bravery to rejoin the community by penalizing the abuser. According to Erikson’s concept, it is critical to develop a powerful personality that cannot be shattered by intimidation. When a teenager is harassed, she or he can simply cope up with life because of the powerful personality that has been developed. Erik, on the other hand, believes that this would perhaps be dangerous if the youngster does not understand how to employ his or her personality and, as a result, becomes suicidal as the last alternative as a result of the harassment.

References

John O Mitterer, Tanya S Martini, & Dennis Coon. (2018, January 1). Introduction to psychology: Gateways to mind and behavior | Rent | 9781337565691. CENGAGE Learning.