Breaking Point was written to demystify the cause of teenage suicide. The process began with the circumstances surrounding a fifteen year-old boy who had been admitted to a mental health hospital as a suicide overdose. The boy had been addicted to drugs all his life and later committed suicide. The author made a promise to the father to learn all she could about substance abuse and suicide.
During the search for answers on the effects of substance abuse on suicide, it was enlightening to find a host of other repetitive circumstances that "trigger" suicide in our youth. Some of these include the contagion effect, tri-vorce, a family move during senior high school, and most profoundly, isolation for other youth.
Because teenage suicide occurs in the home and community, breaking point was written for lay people, especially parents, teachers, school counselors, and the juvenile justice system. Public help and awareness are needed to fight the epidemic. As many as fourteen teenagers commit suicide each day in the United States. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among teens and the second leading cause among college students.
Breaking Point's conceptual model of teenage suicide is intriguing and helpful as the only one of its kind. The book also contains new information on depression. Many emotionally moving vignettes are well placed to illustrate a concept.
Breaking Point is a book that will make a difference in the nation's approach to teenage suicide prevention.