Social media and suicide

Social media and suicide is a relatively new phenomenon which influences suicide-related behavior. There is increasing evidence that this behavior changes people's life, especially in teenagers. In one of widely known cases, the death of Phoebe Prince, it is generally believed that her actions were motivated by cyberbullying. One of the explanations that have risen is the cause and effect relationship between social media advertised suicides and younger generations being influenced by them. The reasons behind kids being influenced by suicide tendencies via the internet is the psychological explanation behind "15 minutes of fame." Media tends to blow up videos and Facebook status' in order to inform the public of the rising trouble. However the media has yet to take into consideration the band wagon appeal it brings to the young and immature minds of teenagers. Besides this, social media includes some other risks with the impact of different kinds of pro-suicidal sites, message boards, chat rooms and forums. Meanwhile, internet not only reports suicide incidents but documents suicide methods, such as Suicide Pacts, which is an agreement between two or more people to die by suicide at a particular time and often by the same lethal means, and some other prosuicide behavior.

Social Media Risks

Social media is a relatively new phenomenon that has swept the world during the past decade.There is increasing evidence that the Internet and social media can influence suicide-related behavior.Suicide is a considerable public health problem, more than 30,000 suicide deaths in the United States and nearly 1 million suicide deaths worldwide occur every year.[1] The role that the Internet, particularly social media, might have in suicide-related behavior is a topic of growing interest. We will discuss on how social media will have an influence on suicide related behavior.

Impact of pro-suicidal sites, message boards, chat rooms and forums

Social media platforms, such as chat rooms, blogging Web sites (e.g., Blogspot), video sites (e.g., YouTube), social networking sites (e.g., Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Google+), as well as e-mail, text messaging, and video chat, have transformed traditional methods of communication by allowing the instantaneous and interactive sharing of information created and controlled by individuals, groups, organizations, and governments.[2] As of the third quarter of 2015, Facebook had 1.55 billion monthly active users.[3] An immense quantity of information on the topic of suicide is available on the Internet and via social media. For example, on a Japanese message board in 2008 it was shared that a person can kill himself/herself using hydrogen sulfide gas. Shortly after 220 people attempted suicide in this way, and 208 were successful.[4] Biddle et al.[5] conducted a systematic Web search of 12 suicide-associated terms (e.g., suicide, suicide methods, how to kill yourself, and best suicide methods) to analyze the search results and found that Pro-suicide sites and chat rooms that discussed general issues associated with suicide most often occurred within the first few hits of a search.Recupero et al.[6] also conducted a study that examined suicide-related sites that can be found using Internet search engines. Of 373 Web site hits, 31% were suicide neutral, 29% were antisuicide, and 11% were prosuicide. Together, these studies have shown that obtaining prosuicide information on the Internet, including detailed information on suicide methods, is very easy.[2]

Cyberbullicide

Cyberbullying, when directly or indirectly linked to suicide, has been referred to as cyberbullicide.[7] Cyberbullying and cyber harassment are two prevalent ways to lead to prosuicide behavior. Cyberbullying typically refers to when a child or adolescent is intentionally and repeatedly targeted by another child or teen in the form of threats or harassments or humili- ated or embarrassed by means of cellular phones or Internet technologies such as e-mail, texting, social networking sites, or instant messaging.[8] Cyber harassment and cyber stalking typically refer to these same actions when they involve adults.[9] A review of data collected between 2004 and 2010 via survey studies indicated that lifetime cyberbullying victimization rates ranged from 20.8% to 40.6% and offending rates ranged from 11.5% to 20.1%.[10]

Media Contagion Effect

Internet not only reports suicide incidents but documents suicide methods. Social media platforms are widely used to spread information on methods to suicide, such as chat rooms, discussion board, even video-sharing web sites. This brings another concern, which is the increasing risk of the media contagion effect, especially among the youth.[9] Persons most susceptible to suicide contagions are those under 25 years of age.[11] A recent study by Dunlop et al.[12] specifically examined possible contagion effects on suicidal behavior via the Internet and social media. Of 719 individuals aged 14 to 24 years, 79% reported being exposed to suicide- related content through family, friends, and traditional news media such as newspapers, and 59% found such content through Internet sources.[9] These information may pose a harzard for vulnerable groups by influencing decisions to die by suicide. In particular, interactions via chat rooms or discussion forums may foster peer pressure to die by suicide, encourage users to idolize those who have completed suicide, or facilitate suicide pacts.[9] Recently there has been a trend in creating memorial social media pages in honor of a deceased person. In New Zealand, a memorial page was made after a person committed suicide, this resulted in the suicide of 8 other persons thereafter, which further shows the power of the media contagion effect.[13]

Suicide notes

Kevin Whitrick and Abraham K. Biggs webcast both of their suicides."I am going to leave this for whoever stumbles across my bookmarks later on.
It has generally been found that those who post suicide notes online tend to not receive help.[14] Several notable cases support this argument; Paul Zolezzi indicated via a Facebook update his intent to commit suicide.[15] In 2010, John Patrick Bedell left a Wikipedia user page and YouTube videos interpreted by some as a suicide note; the former was deleted by Wikipedia administrators.[16] Joe Stack also posted a suicide note online.[17]

Chris McKinstry, an AI researcher, committed suicide after posting a note to both his blog and the Joel on Software off-topic forum explaining the reasons for his demise, which was discontinued shortly afterwards.

This is part of suicide notes of Abraham K. Biggs. "I hate myself and I hate living. I think that if someone who knows me reads this they will know who I am. So I will leave this unsigned. I am an a@#hole. I have let everyone down and I feel as though I will never change or never improve. I am in love with a girl and I know that I am not good enough for her."[18]

Abraham K. Biggs's webcast suicide

Suicide pacts

A suicide pact is an agreement between two or more people to die by suicide at a particular time and often by the same lethal means.[19][20] Traditional suicide pacts have typically developed among individuals who know each other, such as a couple of friends. While a suicide pact that has been formed or developed in some way through the use of the Internet is a cybersuicide pact.[21] A primary difference between cybersuicide pacts and traditional suicide pacts is that these pacts are usually formed among complete strangers.[19] They use online chat rooms and virtual bulletiin boards and forums as an unmediated avenue to share their feelings with other like-minded individuals, which can be easier than talking about such thoughts and feelings in person.[9]

The first documented use of the Internet to form a suicide pact was reported in Japan in 2000. It has now become a more common form of suicide in Japan, where the suicide rate increased from 34 suicides in 2003 to 91 suicides in 2005. South Korea now has one of the world’s highest suicide rates (24.7/100 000 in 2005), and evidence exists that cybersuicide pacts may account for almost one third of suicides in that country.[9]

Gerald Krein[22] and William Francis Melchert-Dinkel were accused of arranging internet suicide pacts.

Interventions

Demi Moore and her followers intervened to stop a suicide that had been announced on Twitter.[23]

A German was prevented from killing himself after Spanish internet users saw him announcing his decision.[24]

Discussion and support groups

Some online groups, such as alt.suicide.holiday, have emerged as discussion and support groups for suicidal individuals. In study on these online support groups, it was found that the suicidal individuals feel that these sites have a positive effect on them, such as creating empathetic understanding, community, and a way to cope.[25] Research indicates that providing more online support for suicidal people would be more effective than shutting down pro-suicide websites.[26] The Defense Centers of Excellence have expressed interest in using social media for suicide prevention.[27] Facebook groups have sometimes been set up for suicide prevention purposes,[28] including one that attracted 47,000 members.[29]

SAMHSA's Suicide Prevention Lifeline operates on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.[30] AFSP (American Foundation For Suicide Prevention)is trying to understanding and preventing suicide through research, education, and advocacy.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Suicide and Self-Inflicted Injury". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Suicide. Retrieved November 9, 2011.
  2. 1 2 David D. Luxton, Jennifer D. June and Jonathan M. Fairall (May 2012), Social Media and Suicide: A Public Health Perspective, NCBI Template:Pd-notice
  3. ↑ Number of monthly active Facebook users worldwide as of 3rd quarter 2015 (in millions)
  4. ↑ Luxton, David D.; June, Jennifer D.; Fairall, Jonathan M. (2012-03-08). "Social Media and Suicide: A Public Health Perspective". American Journal of Public Health 102 (S2): S195–S200. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2011.300608. ISSN 0090-0036. PMC 3477910. PMID 22401525.
  5. ↑ Biddle L, Donovan J, Hawton K, Kapur N, Gunnell D, Suicide and the Internet
  6. ↑ Recupero R, Harmss E, Noble JM, surfing for suicide information on the internet. J Clin Psychiatry
  7. ↑ Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. W. (2014). Bullying beyond the schoolyard: Preventing and responding to cyberbullying. Corwin Press.
  8. ↑ Kowalski, R. M., Limber, S. P., & Agatston, P. W. (2012). Cyberbullying: Bullying in the digital age. John Wiley & Sons.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Luxton, D. D., June, J. D., & Fairall, J. M. (2012). Social media and suicide: a public health perspective. American Journal of Public Health, 102(S2), S195-S200.
  10. ↑ Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. W. (2010). Cyberbullying research center. Retrieved February 27, 2012.
  11. ↑ Cox, Georgina R.; Robinson, Jo; Williamson, Michelle; Lockley, Anne; Cheung, Yee Tak Derek; Pirkis, Jane (2012-01-01). "Suicide Clusters in Young People". Crisis 33 (4): 208–214. doi:10.1027/0227-5910/a000144. ISSN 0227-5910.
  12. ↑ Dunlop, S. M., More, E., & Romer, D. (2011). Where do youth learn about suicides on the Internet, and what influence does this have on suicidal ideation?. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, 52(10), 1073-1080.
  13. ↑ Robertson, Lindsay; Skegg, Keren; Poore, Marion; Williams, Sheila; Taylor, Barry (2012-01-01). "An Adolescent Suicide Cluster and the Possible Role of Electronic Communication Technology". Crisis 33 (4): 239–245. doi:10.1027/0227-5910/a000140. ISSN 0227-5910.
  14. ↑ Elana Premack Sandler (April 6, 2009), Can Social Media Help Prevent Suicide?, Psychology Today
  15. ↑ Gendar, Alison and Connor, Tracy, Facebook status update becomes suicide note for aspiring Brooklyn model, actor Paul Zolezzi, New York Daily News
  16. ↑ Carlin DeGuerin Miller (March 5, 2010), John Patrick Bedell: Rants on Wikipedia and YouTube May Have Foreshadowed Breakdown, CBS News
  17. ↑ Neil Katz (February 18, 2010), Joe Stack Suicide Note Full Text: "American Zombies Wake Up and Revolt", CBS News
  18. ↑ "Suicide note of Abraham Biggs, teen whose death was broadcast via webcam". NY Daily News. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  19. 1 2 Rajagopal, S. (2004). Suicide pacts and the internet: Complete strangers may make cyberspace pacts. BMJ: British Medical Journal, 329(7478), 1298.
  20. ↑ Brown, M., & Barraclough, B. (1997). Epidemiology of suicide pacts in England and Wales, 1988-92. Bmj, 315(7103), 286-287.
  21. ↑ Rajagopal, S. (2009). The Internet and suicide pacts. Internet and Suicide. New York, NY: Nova Science Publishers, 185-196.
  22. ↑ Sheriff: Online suicide pact had sexual overtones, CNN, February 13, 2005
  23. ↑ "Demi Moore's Twitter followers help stop a suicide - CNET". CNET. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
  24. ↑ http://www.generation-nt.com/internaute-allemand-bremerhaven-menace-suicide-direct-forum-video-webcam-sauve-intervention-internautes-policiers-espagnols-secours-allemand-actualite-22884.html
  25. ↑ Baker, Darren; Fortune, Sarah (2008-05-01). "Understanding Self-Harm and Suicide Websites". Crisis 29 (3): 118–122. doi:10.1027/0227-5910.29.3.118. ISSN 0227-5910.
  26. ↑ "Online suicide support needed". ScienceAlert. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
  27. ↑ Harnessing New and Social Media to Prevent Suicide, Defense Centers of Excellence, January 22, 2010
  28. ↑ Elana Premack Sandler (June 16, 2010), Suicide prevention in cyberspace, Psychology Today
  29. ↑ Minsky, Amy, Anti-suicide Facebook group elicits positive messages, The Vancouver Sun
  30. ↑ SAMHSA, Suicide Prevention Lifeline Update
  31. ↑ Dunlop, S., More, E., & Romer, D. (2009, January 1). Where Do Youth Learn about Suicides on the Internet, and What Influence Does this Have on Suicidal Ideation? Retrieved January 1, 2014, from http://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/Where-do-youth-learn-about-suicide.pdf
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