Cracked phone screen with distorted faces and light rays, symbolizing hope and recovery from teen suicide risk.

Teen Suicide and Media: How to Protect Vulnerable Youth

Jordan Keane in Health & Wellness June 2025 • 4 min read.

"Exploring the impact of shows like '13 Reasons Why' and offering practical steps for parents, educators, and mental health professionals."

The release of "13 Reasons Why," a popular television series centered around a teenager's suicide, sparked widespread concern among mental health professionals. The show's detailed depiction of suicide, combined with elements of revenge fantasy and teen drama, raised fears of potential copycat suicides. This article delves into the impact of such media portrayals on vulnerable youth and explores strategies for prevention and intervention.

Organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Canadian Psychiatric Association, and the World Health Organization have established guidelines for responsible reporting on suicide. These guidelines emphasize avoiding sensationalism, detailed descriptions of methods, and simplistic portrayals. Instead, they advocate for highlighting the multifactorial nature of suicide, including mental health issues and psychosocial circumstances, and providing information on where to seek help.

However, shows like "13 Reasons Why" have been criticized for potentially violating these guidelines. Reports from child psychiatry emergency departments indicated a surge in cases of copycat suicides, attempts, and ideation following the show's release, suggesting a concerning link between media exposure and suicidal behavior in vulnerable youth.

The Risk of Suicide Contagion: Understanding the Werther Effect

Cracked phone screen with distorted faces and light rays, symbolizing hope and recovery from teen suicide risk.

Suicide contagion, also known as the Werther effect, is a well-documented phenomenon, particularly among young people. Research has shown a correlation between graphic and repetitive media depictions of suicide and an increase in suicidal behavior. While much of the focus has been on nonfiction reporting, studies have also explored the impact of fictional portrayals, revealing similar risks.

The rise of global streaming services like Netflix has amplified these concerns. With content available 24/7 across nearly 200 countries, the potential for continuous exposure to potentially harmful portrayals is unprecedented. Unlike traditional news reporting, which is often time-limited, online content allows for binge-watching and repeated exposure, potentially exacerbating the risk of suicide contagion.

Minimize detailed descriptions: Avoid specific methods or techniques used in a suicide.
Avoid sensationalism: Do not glorify or romanticize suicide.
Focus on the complexities: Highlight the mental health issues and other factors contributing to suicide.
Provide resources: Include information on where to seek help and support.
Promote help-seeking: Encourage those struggling with suicidal thoughts to reach out for assistance.

Despite the risks, the internet and social media also present opportunities for suicide prevention. The #13reasonswhynot initiative, originating from Michigan's Oxford High School, exemplifies a positive use of social media. In this project, students share personal challenges and messages of gratitude and hope, countering the show's negative themes. This initiative has been replicated by various suicide prevention agencies and featured in news reports.

What Can Be Done? Taking Action for Prevention

Addressing the potential negative impact of media portrayals of suicide requires a multi-faceted approach. Parents, teachers, and clinicians need to be educated and prepared to provide support, prevention, and postvention to vulnerable youth. Mental health professionals should address ethical, scientific, and pragmatic questions about what actions to take in the face of epidemiological uncertainty and clinical certainty. Key actions include: Advocating for responsible media portrayals, preparing educational resources, improving access to mental healthcare. Finally, addressing untreated mental illness is critical to reducing suicide rates in adolescents. Broad-based screening for depression in schools and primary care, linked to accessible and effective mental health care, can make a significant impact. Advocacy for the growth of the child mental health system should remain a foremost priority.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1016/j.jaac.2017.07.006, Alternate LINK

Title: Teen Suicide: Fanning The Flames Of A Public Health Crisis

Subject: Psychiatry and Mental health

Journal: Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Authors: Vera Feuer, Jennifer Havens

Published: 2017-09-01

Everything You Need To Know

What is the Werther Effect and why is it a concern?

The Werther effect, or suicide contagion, describes how media depictions of suicide can lead to an increase in suicidal behaviors, especially among young people. The graphic and repetitive portrayals of suicide can correlate with a rise in actual suicides. It's crucial to consider this effect when media covers suicide, whether in news or fictional content, to minimize the risk of imitation.

What guidelines exist for reporting on suicide and who creates them?

Organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Canadian Psychiatric Association, and the World Health Organization provide guidelines for media reporting on suicide. These guidelines advise against sensationalizing suicide, detailing specific methods, or presenting simplistic explanations. Instead, they recommend focusing on the various factors contributing to suicide, like mental health issues and difficult life situations. The goal is to provide information on how to seek help and support, promoting responsible reporting.

Why was there controversy around the show '13 Reasons Why'?

Shows like '13 Reasons Why' have faced criticism for potentially not following established guidelines for responsible suicide reporting. Concerns arose due to the show's detailed depiction of suicide, combined with elements of revenge fantasy. Child psychiatry emergency departments reported a surge in copycat suicides, attempts, and suicidal thoughts following the show's release, indicating a possible connection between media exposure and suicidal behavior, particularly among vulnerable youth.

What actions can be taken to prevent suicide related to media influence?

To address the potential negative impact of media portrayals of suicide, a multi-faceted approach is needed. Parents, teachers, and clinicians need education to support vulnerable youth through prevention and intervention strategies. Mental health professionals should consider the ethical and practical implications. It's essential to advocate for responsible media portrayals, create educational resources, and improve access to mental healthcare. Addressing untreated mental illness is critical for lowering adolescent suicide rates, including broad-based depression screenings linked to accessible and effective mental health care.

Are there any positive examples of using media to address suicide prevention?

The #13reasonswhynot initiative, originating from Michigan's Oxford High School, shows a positive way to use social media. Students share their challenges and messages of hope and gratitude, countering the show's negative themes. Suicide prevention agencies have replicated this initiative, which has been featured in news reports. This positive use demonstrates that social media can be a tool for suicide prevention by offering support and encouraging help-seeking behaviors.