They feel pressure socially and academically; they look ahead in time and see inequality, climate change and automation; they look at their phones and see social media and its ills; they look around them and see others committing suicide, being addicted to something or other, or they just generally see a shitty society in the US today. Their politicians are old white men catering to old white folks and rural folks. They see the Iraq/Afghanistan Wars and the financial crisis, low wages, hollowed out Rust Belt...It's not hard to list many reasons why my peers have been lost to suicide in increasing numbers.

I myself have lost a close friend from scouts. He was a complex person, orphan from another country adopted into affluent US family. Struggled to fit in, he was short and heavy, but he had a kind soul and loved to blacksmith, making swords and weaponry. He never quite succeeded with girls or social circles, but eventually he met a girl on WoW finally, moved across country for her, since he felt he had nothing else positive in his life. She married then divorced him within 2 years, and he killed himself soon after, feeling he had no other prospects and having no adequate treatments for his depression.