Posted on 04/17/2006 7:12:11 PM PDT by pissant
LONDON (Reuters) - Young people who adopt the "Goth" lifestyle of dark clothes and introspective music are more likely to commit self-harm or attempt suicide than other youngsters, according to a study on Friday.
"Although only fairly small numbers of young people identify themselves as belonging to the Goth subculture, rates of self-harm and attempted suicide are very high among this group," said Robert Young, lead researcher of the Glasgow University study.
The Scottish team described Goths as being a subgenre of Punk "with a dark and sinister aesthetic, with aficionados conspicuous by their range of distinctive clothing and makeup and tastes in music."
Shock rockers such as Marilyn Manson are said to be popular amongst Goths and the subculture has often attracted suspicion and criticism from the media.
Two U.S. students who massacred 13 people at Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999 were said to have been fascinated by the Goth image.
The Glasgow researchers studied of 1,258 young people who were quizzed at the ages of 11, 13, 15 and 19 about self harm and their links to various youth cultures.
In the UK, the rate of self harm among young people is between 7-14 percent.
Although other subcultures were associated with self harm, such as Punk, the link was strongest with Goths.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal, found that 53 percent of those who were linked to the Goth subculture reported self-harm and 47 percent had attempted suicide.
Even adjusting for other factors, such as alcohol abuse and previous depression, Goth identification was the strongest predictor of self harm or suicide attempts, the report said.
"One common suggestion is they may be copying subcultural icons or peers," Young said.
"But since our study found that more reported self-harm before, rather than after, becoming a Goth, this suggests that young people with a tendency to self-harm are attracted to the Goth subculture."
Michael van Beinum, a child-and-adolescent psychiatrist, said the Goth subculture might be attractive to young people with mental health problems, allowing them to find a community where their distress might be more easily understood.
High School Athletes More Likely to Get Exercise Than Shutins
I had a punk/goth friend who carved her name into her leg with her fingernail, deep, like chunks of flesh, while in a mental institute. I've had a punk friend jump off a bridge to his death because he felt he couldn't deal with life any more. I wasn't even 16 before either one of those. Bodily harm is not exactly a funny topic.
ROFL. Astute alternate headline.
Study: Water is wet.
No, it's not. Either is suicide. But I encourage it amongst communists and leftists.
Somebody oughta come up with the definitive list of most worthless studies. ;o)
See, leftists are a dying breed. Their abortion and gay parade is a self-eliminating plague; throw in suicides every time they lose an election and they'll be gone within the next 20 years!
Let's pray you are correct. But the leftist propaganda machine is alive and well in most school, library, and civic institutions.
Or if they become successful musicians, to tediously whine like the guy in the Cure.
You'll want to see this.
I found a site from 12/99 on the Y2K scare! Lookie Here
LOL. I'm pretty optimistic, but they will only go down kicking and screaming.
BTW, I loved the Y2K hysteria. I got lots of overtime hours soothing stupid people willing to pay for consultants. LOL
With 06/06/06 coming up, it looks like you may have another hysteria (singular hysterium?) coming your way!
I can only hope. :o)
On the positive side, blood, chocolate, and grass stains are easier to hide on black clothing ;-)
Love the eye make up!
Lacrosse players more likely to be rich white boys.
...and the downside to this is... ?
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