When asked what the main cause of teen suicide is, most people would conclude that it is depression or drugs. The twenty-first century, however, sees a new cause on the rise: bullying. Although bullying is receiving unprecedented awareness and support in schools and the media, startling reports of victims taking their own lives are uncovering new realities. Suicide is often the terrible consequence of many teenagers feeling alone, with no means to escape the painful torture inflicted by bullying. Bullying has become broad and widespread, and teenagers have revealed its ugly nature in far more diverse ways than ever before. Once upon a time, common mistreatment consisted of direct and indirect harassment. Over the past decade, as cell phone technology and Facebook have become an integral part of most teenagers' daily lives, abuse has increased to new levels, including the most recent form of peer pressure with the creation of "suicide pacts." " online. Bullying is no longer a silent wolf around the corner that attacks the shy and skinny teenager. With technology bringing forth a new form of peer pressure and bullying, as well as facilitating direct and indirect bullying, teen suicide is becoming increasingly prevalent due to technology's role in bullying. Sure, bullying was once typically confined to the occasional war of words in the locker room or a park after school, but direct bullying and physical and verbal abuse now occur spontaneously and regularly in most schools and communities. In the past, teenagers had the luxury of time to cool off, to think about their options and consequences; they had time for their conscience to take over and rethink a rash decision. Unfortunately, with the ease of instant gratification with… middle of paper… Victims of direct, indirect and cyberbullying face a whole new range of bullying and are forced to. manage your emotions even in this same public arena. Teenagers find it difficult to escape or move away from such public harassment and, in response, suicide is increasingly the outcome with many teenagers also gravitating towards suicide pacts. Unfortunately, technology is not always a wonderful advancement, the height of luxury, or an everyday convenience. Technology has in fact helped and contributed to the disappearance of many. It would not be surprising if the next decade saw a dramatic shift in the cause of teen suicide from depression and drugs to bullying. The author of the ancient proverb “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” obviously never had such words plastered across Facebook.