Several factors, emotional and physical, can contribute to an adolescent's decision to commit suicide. Teen suicide rates have undoubtedly increased over the past 50 years, but the question is why? As our world continues to advance decade after decade, today's teens face very different issues than those faced by teens of previous generations. Social media is a distinct modern influence on teen suicide. Naturally, most teens today own or have access to a smartphone, computer, or other device that can be used to connect to the Internet and visit countless social websites. Social media can be entertaining and a fun, quick way to connect with friends and family, but it also has its downsides. Many teens today know someone or have themselves been victims of a negative aspect of social media called cyberbullying. Cyberbullying involves harassing, tormenting, or embarrassing someone else online, sometimes anonymously. Even though this type of harassment occurs online, it can still have a huge impact on a teenager's life. People known as cyberbullies tend to think they have more power when they harass someone online and, more importantly, that they won't get caught. The biggest problem with cyberbullying is that there is no easy way to avoid it. Unlike real-life bullying, cyberbullying does not end at school. Victims of cyberbullying are up to nine times more likely to commit suicide than adolescents who have never been victims of cyberbullying (“11 Facts About Cyberbullying” 1). While it is certainly a contributing factor to teen suicide, social media is not the only one. one to blame. TV shows that break the news and cover other teens......in the middle of the news...or sometimes just out of curiosity. The mental and physical side effects of drugs and alcohol in adolescents may be more harmful than in adults, due to their age and underdevelopment. In addition to these distractions, some teens may become involved in other dangerous activities, such as gang affiliation. Teenagers associated with gangs often do not realize how extreme or serious they are and are never fully prepared for what awaits them. Adolescents are often characterized by their impulsive nature. Due to the possession of this quality as well as the lack of awareness of the possible consequences of one's actions, the suicide rate among adolescents is much higher than that of any other age group. Adolescents are more likely to be victims of suicide than adults because they do not understand that committing suicide is serious and irreversible (Portner 7).