The impact of the media’s information about suicide on population behavior has repeatedly been the subject of various studies and discussions. One of the first evidence of an established connection between information in the media and the followed suicides was the publication in 1774 of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s novel “The Sorrows of Young Werther” (Yom-Tov & Fischer, 2017). The character of this writing committed suicide due to unhappy love, and soon after the story was released, many reports of suicides committed by young men in the same way appeared. Later, the name “Werther effect” began to be applied to imitative suicides, which spread widely due to media. Although there is the opinion that mass information negatively affects the depressive state and provokes suicide, a positive effect can be noticed.
Due to the advent of Internet technologies in our lives, the issue of increasing the number of suicides with the dissemination of information about them requires a new understanding. In the Internet space, everyone can be a producer of any content without being limited to editing filters or other restrictions. Such specific features suggest bullying, increased stress levels, and the possibility of depression for users. Moreover, the Internet is a convenient tool for influencing a person’s psyche, and, like sects and cults, movements that provoke suicide can be created here.
However, media have not only the ability to provoke suicidal behavior but can also carry a powerful preventive effect. This effect can be fully realized, but it is necessary to create a clear science-based strategy to counteract the propaganda of suicide. For example, it is vital to inform media users about psychological assistance resources – a helpline, online consultation, and more. Moreover, it is crucial to support the activities of organizations that detect suicidal movements and are engaged in the prevention of suicide. However, according to Till et al. (2017), a method such as helping potential suicides via the Internet may be more effective than repressive methods of blocking dangerous sites.
Moreover, communication on social networks for many, on the contrary, becomes a kind of cure that eliminates feelings of melancholy and loneliness, which reduces the risks of depression and, therefore, suicidal outcome. Most people who commit suicide tentatively try to draw the attention of others to their problems and let them know about suicidal intent. Thus, many residents of the forums support those users who agree not to harm themselves and decide to seek psychological help. This phenomenon is called Papageno Effects – a decision on suicide can be influenced by how the media talk about this problem and its causes.
Thus, the media plays a dual role in the emotional state of people prone to depression and suicidal behavior. On the one hand, it can encourage a person to take his or her own life; on the other hand, it can provide psychological support. The period from the emergence of suicidal thoughts to the attempt to implement them is called presuicide: the individual is in an oppressed state, his or her gloomy thoughts increase, dissatisfaction with living conditions grows. This mood is a favorable ground for introducing and developing the oppressive state characteristic of the pre-suicidal period. During this period, the media can play an important role. According to Yom-Tov and Fischer (2017), there is very little time after people see a suicide message in the media and decide to take similar actions. For this reason, journalists need to soften such news, considering their specifics. Modern media can positively affect both society and the individual, reducing suicidal moods.
References
Till, B., Tran, U. S., Voracek, M., & Niederkrotenthaler, T. (2017). Beneficial and harmful effects of educative suicide prevention websites: randomised controlled trial exploring Papageno v. Werther effects. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 211(2), pp. 109-115.
Yom-Tov, E., & Fischer, S. H. (2017). The Werther Effect revisited: Measuring the effect of news items on user behavior. In Proceedings of the 26th International Conference on World Wide Web Companion, pp. 1561-1566.