This recent study on the lifestyles of the Gothic style loving youths revealed that they are more likely to inflict harm to themselves or attempt suicide.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060417/hl_nm/goths_dc
I've known/know several goth-type people and would say that this study (while limited to a little over 1200 students) is in need of broadening their numbers.
I do know of several kids that wear the all black clothing and heavy eye-liners and the occasional black to dark red lipstick and have a morbid fascination with all things related to death. But their home lives are fairly normal and for these kids it'll be a phase for them to go through and grow out of. When asked about their family they hold no animosity towards them, and speak highly of them.
Still, I knew of one kid (15 yr old) while I lived in Texas... that kid bore watching closely. Their home life was abusive/alcoholic and thus that kid's fascination with the Gothic lifestyle was a manifestation of the pain and darkness of their day to day life. There was one suicide attempt but it was half-hearted and more likely a cry for attention than anything else. It took a little time but they managed to get out of the home and within a few months walked up to me sans all that symbolism of death, pain and misery... and I didn't even recognize them.
My personal conclusion to it is that the home environment will influence the kid's desire to inflict harm or suicide more than the influence of a death-darkness loving lifestyle. If they did a study of non-goth kids they may find their numbers relatively the same across the board. The Gothic lifestyle is the easiest to draw one's attention to it. Nobody would be concerned with the all -american clean cut highschool quarterback (with so-so grades) who lost a pivotal playoff game, there's always next year right?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060417/hl_nm/goths_dc
I've known/know several goth-type people and would say that this study (while limited to a little over 1200 students) is in need of broadening their numbers.
I do know of several kids that wear the all black clothing and heavy eye-liners and the occasional black to dark red lipstick and have a morbid fascination with all things related to death. But their home lives are fairly normal and for these kids it'll be a phase for them to go through and grow out of. When asked about their family they hold no animosity towards them, and speak highly of them.
Still, I knew of one kid (15 yr old) while I lived in Texas... that kid bore watching closely. Their home life was abusive/alcoholic and thus that kid's fascination with the Gothic lifestyle was a manifestation of the pain and darkness of their day to day life. There was one suicide attempt but it was half-hearted and more likely a cry for attention than anything else. It took a little time but they managed to get out of the home and within a few months walked up to me sans all that symbolism of death, pain and misery... and I didn't even recognize them.
My personal conclusion to it is that the home environment will influence the kid's desire to inflict harm or suicide more than the influence of a death-darkness loving lifestyle. If they did a study of non-goth kids they may find their numbers relatively the same across the board. The Gothic lifestyle is the easiest to draw one's attention to it. Nobody would be concerned with the all -american clean cut highschool quarterback (with so-so grades) who lost a pivotal playoff game, there's always next year right?
