Straight Talk About Teenage Suicide (Straight Talk)

Rating:
Summary: A Double-Edged Sword
Review: The title itself seemed to be a "trigger" for me, since I'm currently suffering from depression. As I read through the book, from cover to cover, I was left with mixed feelings. Certainly, the information presented is helpful and mainly accurate. The myth or reality section was particularly interesting, and even one who has experienced depression may not be able get to get a perfect score. The various factors that may influence the development of teenage depression are well-covered, and the pre-emptive action against potential suicides would help save many lives. The suggestions as to what words to say or not say as well as warning signs and potential trigger events are covered thoroughly.

There were a few detractions though. The three fictional "case histories" were not always helpful. Though they put the technical information into context, some portions of it may themselves trigger a bout of depression in readers that currently suffer it (and there's no disclaimer specifying that there are such triggers included in the book...something that is required when posting messages on the Internet depression support forums). Also, some portions are understandably out-dated. The authors did not provide enough current data concerning genetics and bio-chemistry and their potential for acting as catalysts for depression. Even in the early 90's, more information than given was available. Inclusion of all this research should have replaced the overwhelming number of demographic statistics on suicide. Although the latter should be considered, the authors went too far and made the book difficult to read and understand. The cultural influences on suicide rates were given too much credit. In fact, suicide IS NOT considered "honorable" by the majority of Japanese society. It's a taboo that family secrets are made of, and the view of Japan as "death before dishonor" is quite out-dated. However, the structure of society, such as the national aptitude tests as well as the inconsistency in children's rights in Japan, definitely increase the number of teen suicides. The same can be said of the clash between the "American Dream" and real-life discrimination (especially those concerning family income) in the United States, which the book sufficiently addresses.

The book could have been polished more, replacing some chapters with others, and editing some of the content or at least marking the book as a potential trigger for example. The book will likely become a greater success if these revisions are made. As a footnote, the number of resources for teens cited in the last chapter could have been expanded.