there is a phenomenon known as “suicide contagion” or “copycat suicide,” where exposure to suicide can lead to an increase in suicide rates.
Typically this occurs with media, like when a celebrity is in the news for suicide, but I believe there is still a relationship in just talking about it, especially in younger folks.
I’m not saying there’s nothing to that but it seems to me that if the mere mention of suicide in just about any context is enough to send you over the edge then you were pretty close to falling off already. I find it difficult to attribute much to something like that.
Exactly. It doesn’t increase suicidal thoughts, it just reminds some that it’s an answer to their thoughts. The solution is reducing the stigma so that people can talk about them freely instead of bottling them up until they reach that point.
there is a phenomenon known as “suicide contagion” or “copycat suicide,” where exposure to suicide can lead to an increase in suicide rates.
Typically this occurs with media, like when a celebrity is in the news for suicide, but I believe there is still a relationship in just talking about it, especially in younger folks.
https://www.cmaj.ca/content/185/10/861
I’m not saying there’s nothing to that but it seems to me that if the mere mention of suicide in just about any context is enough to send you over the edge then you were pretty close to falling off already. I find it difficult to attribute much to something like that.
Exactly. It doesn’t increase suicidal thoughts, it just reminds some that it’s an answer to their thoughts. The solution is reducing the stigma so that people can talk about them freely instead of bottling them up until they reach that point.