According to a study, the release of 13 Reasons Why, the critically acclaimed Netflix web series, was associated with a steep rise in teen suicides in the United States.
The series, which premiered on Netflix on March 31, 2017, was based on the 2007 novel Thirteen Reasons Why which tells the story of a 17-year-old high school student Clay Jensen and Hannah Baker, his deceased friend, who had taken her life.
In the series, Hannah Baker leaves behind a series of 13 tapes which describe the reasons why she chose to commit suicide.
Although the series received critical acclaim, it also raised questions about the effects of portrayal of suicide on the young minds, as reported by the researchers from the US National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
According to a research published in Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, April 2017, the month following the show’s release, saw a 28.9 per cent increase in suicide rates among the American youth in the age group of 10-17 years.
The researchers say that the number of suicide-related deaths recorded in April 2017 was higher than the number reported in any single month during the five-year period examined by them.
It also highlights the need for using discretion when portraying suicide in popular entertainment and in the media, especially movies and TV programmes.
Researchers also found that gender-wise, the increase in the suicide rate was primarily driven by a significant increase in suicide among young males. The suicide rate among young females increased after the show’s release; however, it was not statistically significant.
“The results of this study should raise awareness that young people are particularly vulnerable to the media,” said Lisa Horowitz, a clinical scientist at NIMH.
“All disciplines, including the media, need to take good care to be constructive and thoughtful about topics that intersect with public health crises,” Horowitz said in a statement.
The findings are in addition to the research and information collected over a period of time suggesting that the youth may be particularly sensitive to the way suicide is portrayed in popular entertainment and the media.
(With PTI inputs)