Can a show push you
over the edge?
Thanks to the show, “13 Reasons Why”, which depicts the
motivations behind a high school student’s decision to take her own life,
suicide has been at the forefront of many people’s minds, newsfeeds, school
letters, and popular media outlets. Concurrently, concerns regarding the
on-line game, Blue Whale, which has been described as a “suicide game,” have
worried many about the promotion of suicide- particularly among teens. Linking these two is the concern that various forms of
media- whether through glamorizing, normalizing or active direction- may cause
teens to attempt or commit suicide. The fear that a teen might commit suicide
is visceral; and the stuff of nightmares - for all involved. There is some
debate about how much influence this show and this game have over most
youth. But what seems to be agreed upon
by their critics is that while some youth may not experience these sources as
encouragement to commit suicide, those who are already at risk may be further provoked.
According to the CDC, suicide is the second leading cause of death for
children, youth and young adults ages 10-35.
Since these media target people in this age group, particularly 13 and
up, they are of specific concern. Locally, suicide is the second leading cause
of death for youth ages 15-24 in Rhode Island as well, third in
Massachusetts.
In December, the Rhode Island Department on Health (RIDOH)
released a report on suicide and suicide 1 attempts in Rhode Island youth (ages
15-24). Per this examination, while rates of self-reported suicide attempts
among middle and high school students have remained fairly constant over the
past decade, 127 deaths occurred by suicide between 2004-2014. This is a
staggering number of lives to be lost each year in such a small state. This report
and others note that while females are more likely to attempt suicide, males
are more likely to commit suicide. In Rhode Island, the group most likely to
commit suicide are males 18-24, who live in suburban areas, are non-Hispanic
Caucasian, and have experienced a crisis (interpersonal or otherwise) in the
past two weeks. Among the youth who did
commit suicide, a full 45% had a diagnosed mental health problem. It may come
as no surprise that depression is by far the most common diagnosis.
Given this information, knowing that even one death from
suicide is too many, what can concerned parents, friends, peers, relatives do
to address these issues? Get information, understand the warning signs and TALK
about these difficult subjects. Perhaps
there are constructive outcomes of the “13 Reasons” phenomenon; information
about suicide among youth (and in general) is easy to find, quite consistent
and most significantly, the door to talk about it has been opened. It reminds us to ask
when we suspect someone is in emotional pain, to get help
for those who may or may not be considering self-harm, but are struggling with
mental health issues. It reminds us to consider the words of youth seriously,
even when tempted to chalk it up to “drama” or “attention-seeking.” For those
who want to learn more, Lifespan is offering Youth Mental Health First Aid
courses. These are 2 designed for anyone interested in developing tools to help
a person in crisis while getting them appropriate, professional mental health support.
If you are struggling or have questions, you can also reach out to your Kesher
social worker, who can help sort through your concerns to get you the best
resources for your needs.
Rose Murrin, LICSW, is
the Kesher social worker at the synagogue.
Kesher is the congregational outreach program of Jewish Family Service
of Rhode Island, funded by the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, and
currently active at Congregation Agudas Achim, Temple
2
https://www.lifespan.org/centers-services/mental-health-first-aid/youth-mental-health-first-aid
