I think it's a sense of powerlessness (and accompanying feelings of worthlessness) that brings most teenagers to the depths of depression. That was certainly what depressed me when I was a teenager. It was the feeling of powerlessness in the face of parents, schools and teachers, society in general, and other people my own age in particular. I felt utterly powerless to defend myself against the dominance of all of the above over my life, and I felt there was no possible escape. It's not surprising that a person in such a position might commit suicide. I never thought about it at the time in any deliberate sense of doing anything specific to kill myself, but I quite often wished that I were dead. The only way I could escape was through books, music, in nature, and in solitude. When you're alone (or in the company of a pet) at least you are free for the moment from various forms of assault and domination by other people (I'm referring primarily to emotional assault, not physical, but there was some of the latter too...from my father, who was no good at controlling either his short temper or his expectations of what his son ought to be like...certainly not anything like me).

I would sure hate to be back there now. If I was, I hope I'd have the nerve and the wits to leave home very early and never look back.