The popular Netflix series 13 Reasons Why has come under fire after a shocking new study was published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
The University of Pennsylvania study has found that the number of teen suicides in the US was disproportionately greater in April 2017, the month following the show’s airing on Netflix, than in any other month over the 5 years studied.
Image from Pop Sugar
The high school drama, which deals with sensitive topics such as mental health and teenage suicide, has been widely criticised since its release.
Experts and mental health charities also warned against 13 Reasons Why following its release, with claims that the show romanticised suicide and could lead to copycat behaviour.
The 28.9% rise in suicide amongst teens has once again raised the issue of young people’s relationship with the media, and the media’s responsibility over the mental health of its viewers.
Despite similarly negative reviews of the series’ second series, Netflix renewed it for a second time. The third series was filmed last year.