Can media representations of suicide really be “contagious”, driving vulnerable audiences to end their own lives? Rich introduces Ben to a frustratingly large field of psychologists, counsellors and youth charities who made this argument about the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why. We dive head-first into both the controversy and the research behind it, to figure out why so many smart, well-intentioned people keep getting this issue so wrong.
CONTENT WARNING: this episode includes discussion of suicide and its causes, clips where people discuss their suicidal feelings. It also contains passing references to sexual assault.
If you or someone you know is having suicidal feelings, please seek help immediately. If you are in the UK, the following hotlines all provide support free of charge:
If you would prefer not to talk over the phone, the following services are available:
For listeners in countries outside of the UK, a useful list of hotlines and other support resources can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines#Crisis_lines_by_country
Credits:
Hosts – Rich McCulloch and Ben Litherland
Music by - Brutalust (Colin Frank and Maria Sappho), recorded and mixed by Joe Christman
Creative producer – Rachel Wood
Technical producer – Caroline Pringle
Technical production – Colin Frank