Two of the three were vets, 1 USN, 1 USMC, and had lived fairly hard lives, the other died of heart trouble. The younger crowd, however, seems to go either from suicide or car accidents (some possibility of suicide there, too). Schools here have been known to maintain their high ratings by practically kicking out students who are having trouble, and that doesn't help the kids any. Parents with problems get even good kids off to a rough start, and sometimes that ends badly.
Yes, heroin (I thought we finally got rid of that crap in the 60/70s) is making a comeback, as if Meth wasn't enough of a people/life/family wrecker.
Add in an educational establishment and legal system which tell children that things that are contrary to nature are sacrosanct behaviour, and no wonder kids are depressed.
They know when things are contrary to nature--part of adolescence is becoming acutely aware of natural drives.
Even employers don't have the courage to stand up and say things which are wrong are wrong, and the few who do get slaughtered in the legal system because of the cowardice of the rest.
So the kids feel abandoned by their elders, especially their parents generation, and in some cases they could not be more right.
The people who should be fighting for a more sane world for their children are taking their kids to the doctor and getting them pills instead of teaching them coping skills and telling them to stick, at their core, to their beliefs, no matter what they must say to survive.
We have told our children to avoid the antidepressant out if at all possible, that finding a way to deal with life without a pill is to be preferred if at all possible. Our family is pretty close knit, and that helps, but still it can be an uphill battle.
I was thinking of so many more when I woke up.Your right the kids have no one to talk to.The local Judge would send Teens for community service to us.We used to have so much fun with them.Two of the girls tried to commit suicide.Both because of the home situation.