Content Warning: Mention of Suicide
In the year 2017, following the release of the popular Netflix show 13 Reasons Why based on the novel by Jay Asher, there was reportedly a 28.9% increase in suicide among United States children ages 10-17.
Suicide has always been a topic in movies and television for decades, often having mixed responses and improper portrayals. It’s essential that viewers and creators understand the impact of creating and consuming this content.
Media can easily affect the mind, young or old; it can change the way you process and think about things, sometimes without even realizing it. And when sensitive topics like suicide aren’t represented correctly, it can lead to terrible consequences like copycat suicide.
The Werther effect is known as media-induced replication of suicidal behavior. For example, if a character on a television or movie kills themself by overdosing on pills, there’s the chance that teens watching the program will replicate it.
When it comes to bad representations of suicide, an example is the Netflix show 13 Reasons Why. If you’re like me and was 10 years old when the show happened and never watched it, here’s a short summary. It follows the story of Hannah Baker, a young woman who takes her own life and leaves a recording explaining the thirteen reasons why she chose to commit suicide.
One of the reasons the show was so heavily criticized was the graphic depiction of suicide. There was also the aspect that Hannah only killed herself out of revenge against the people she deemed had wronged her. The show also portrays adults as “useless” or “incompetent,” which only creates more stigma around the topic.
While it makes sense for young adult dramas to deal with topics like this, it can be said to be uncommon with genres like action or superhero focused media.
Bruce Banner said, “I got low. I didn’t see an end, so I put a bullet in my mouth, and the other guy spit it out,” in The Avengers.
The Avengers is a 2012 action film directed by Joss Whedon based on the comic book series created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The film features top names like Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Samuel L Jackson, and Tom Hiddleston. With the release of The Avengers, it was followed by the creation of the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) which has continued releasing films to this day.
Mark Ruffalo’s character and several other Marvel characters suffer from mental health illnesses, and one character, Wanda Maximoff, committed suicide in one of the films. The way Marvel handles these topics is clear; they show the mental struggle these characters go through. We see the importance of community and self-acceptance through different characters, and Bruce Banner’s character can help shed light on men’s mental health.
Something that directors, screenwriters, or even producers can think about for their next project is including proper trigger warnings and resources to help. Whether it’s at the end or the beginning of the content, taking a moment to provide hotlines or partnering with organizations for resources can truly make a difference.
Take the Netflix original show Ginny & Georgia, for example. The Netflix original drama follows the Miller family consisting of Georgia, Ginny, and Austin as they move into a new town and Georgia’s past slowly gets revealed. The show’s creators partner with Mental Health America to ensure that mental health illnesses are being portrayed properly and healthily.
Whether you’re a casual viewer or a passionate fan of media, it’s essential that you recognize and understand the impact of seeing such topics portrayed. Proper representation reduces stigma and invites meaningful conversation. If you are thinking about harming yourself or believe someone close to you is, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988 or visit this website.