The suicide It falls within the list of the top ten causes of death by placing itself, if you take into consideration the age group between 15 and 35 years old, between the first three causes of death in young people.
Psychiatric pathology is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the suicideeven if we frequently find disorders relating to four classes: mood disorders, substances related to substances, conduct disorders and personality disorders (in particular the borderline personality disorder).
According to an interpersonal theory, there are three psychological variables that push the suicide:
- The perception of non -belonging without hope of change
- The belief of being a weight for others
- A reduced fear of physical suffering and death
The psychotherapist could therefore intervene on the first two beliefs. In addition, it is good to remember the importance of the social environment in determining the suicide of a subject and therefore, once thesuicidal risk assessment, We can think parallel of the appropriate therapeutic interventions, targeted on the environment.
When we talk about the environment we can therefore consider several areas that can influence the suicidal behavior and among these i mass media They can have a significant impact on the phenomenon.
In a recent article published in the magazine “Jama Internal Medicine“Some authors analyzed the variations of the research of the word”suicide“On the web, which took place following the airing of the TV series”13 Reasons Why“. In fact, the program in question deals with several themes closely linked to the adolescent period: rape, bullying, alcohol abuse and precisely suicide.
The plot takes place around the protagonist Hannah Baker, who after taking his own life, has the audio cassettes deliver to those who have been part of his death. In particular, he created the scene lasting 3 minutes, in which the girl cuts her veins in a bathtub, which was entirely aired.
The authors of the research found that following the broadcast of this TV series there was an increase on the Internet of searches for the words “suicide“,” Commit suicide “and” how to kill yourself “. Furthermore, two American Help Lines also had an increase in the frequency of contacts.
Considering that, as we have already described in another article of our blog “Binge-Watching: Tv series addiction“, The structuring of the TV series in episodes and seasons with the peculiar characteristics of their plot, already create an impact in the evolution mind of teenagers, perhaps it is important to evaluate the phenomenon well, bringing our attention to the influence that the mass media can have on personalities already vulnerable in encouraging the suicide.
Emulation to suicide in history
History teaches us that theemulation of suicide And the role of the media in this phenomenon has been present for centuries: in fact already in 1774, following the publication of the epistolary novel “The pains of the young Werther” by Johann Wolfgang Goethe, there was an increase in number of suicides in numerous European countries.
Hence the name “Werther effect“To indicate the cases of imitation to suicide following the advertising of the same through books, newspapers, television and web. The same outcome also occurred following the release of the novel”The latest letters by Jacopo Ortis“Written by Ugo Foscolo and published in 1802.
The interest in the phenomenon was started in the United States, through systematic studies undertaken by various sociologists and psychologists who took over the variation of percentage of suicides Following their advertising on mass media. Actually there were consistent data that led to underlining this correlation: for example, there was a 40% increase in suicide rate In the city of Los Angeles, following the death of Marilyn Monroe, an event widely treated by the newspapers and news of the time.
In addition, a reduction of the number of suicidescompared to the previous 5 years, following a long strike (which lasted 9 months between 1967 and 1968) of the Detroit newspapers. While between 1948 and 1967 as many as 34 suicides were treated on the front page by the US newspapers, and for 26 of these cases the number of suicides in the following month was significantly higher.
Compared to the influence of the TV series in the increase in suicide ratesalready in the 1980s, a case worthy of public discussion occurred following the airing of the mini series produced in West Germany “Death of A Student”, In which a teenager committed suicide throwing himself under a train.
The authors who studied the phenomenon found an increase in the number of suicides in the 70 days following the airing of the program and most of these people were young teenagers who had committed suicide by throwing themselves under a train.
Even the Internet, as we recently had the opportunity to deepen in our blog for the phenomenon “Blue Whale Challenge“, He played and plays an important role in the phenomenon ofimitation to suicide. In Russia more than 150 teenagers died finding in this terrible “game” an escape route from their pain.
These and many other data suggest hypotheses that still need further studies:
- In general, the publication of suicide It would seem to increase the risk of suicide attempted and suicides.
- The ways in which a suicideif they advertised, tend to be repeated by the population more frequently.
- Identification seems to play an important role in theimitation to suicideeven more if it happens for TV or cinema stars.
- The influence of mass media In the commit suicide It is linked to a series of other factors (social, family, psychological), but it could still have an impact in subjects already at risk.
Reference to social responsibility and prevention
In the discussions of the aforementioned article, Ayers and colleagues conclude that “13 Reasons Why“Increased awareness compared to the theme of suicidebut also (in an unintentional way) the suicidal ideation. The authors therefore define deleterious the effects of similar TV series and suggest that the effects could be reduced following the guidelines for the media of the World Health Organization (WHO), such as the removal of the scenes that directly show the suicide Or indicate the number for the Help Line at the end of each episode. These indications could be inserted retroactively in each episode, used for planning the second season and applied to other programs.
Therefore the authors of the article and the relative editorial, warn from showing content such as the Suicide of the star Of the TV series, as the tests suggest that detailed descriptions on how or where a person dies taking their lives, can be a risk factor in people already vulnerable. The appeal to producers and directors is to the ethical and social responsibility to adhere to the guidelines and provide young people and adult resources necessary to process the emotional load of these content.
A setting of preventive care such as, screening, prevention and early intervention for the risk of suicideit could be the frame within which to manage the problem. Doctors, parents, family, friends and school staff are compelled to pay attention to the problems of young people (such as changes in behavior, worsening in school performance, social avoidance) showing interest and concern for adolescent challenges and looking for professional help when they need it.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Phillips, D. (1974). Am Social Review, 39, 340-54.
- Stack, S. (2005). Suicide in the Media: A Quantitative Review of Studies Based on Non-Fictional Stories “. Suicide Life Threat Behav, 35, 121–33.
- Ayers, JW,. Althouse, B. M,. Leas, Ec, Dredze, M., ALM, JP (2017). Internet Searches for Suicide Following The Release of 13 Reasons Why, Jama Internal Medicine, July 31.
- Mcmanama, KH, O’Brien,. Knight, J. R, Harris, Sk (2017). Call for Social Responsibility and Suicide Risk Screening, Prevention, and Early Interventions Following the Release of the Netflix Series 13 Reasons Why, Jama Internal Medicine, July 31.
