Exploring how Thirteen Reasons Why and other portrayals of suicide in the media affect young adults

Liz Meszaros, MDLinx

American Psychiatric Association 2018 Annual Meeting

New York, New York, United States | May 05-09, 2018

After the airing of Thirteen Reasons Why, presentations for suicide in emergency departments around the country increased, according to anecdotal evidence, said Nicole Guanci, MD, assistant director, Residency Training Program, Department of Psychiatry, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, here at the American Psychiatric Association 2018 Annual Meeting.

“From what we know about young people, romanticizing suicide has a contagious effect,” she told MDLinx. “And we see increased rates of mimicking copycat suicide structures and maybe even committed suicide after something is publicly announced or portrayed in the media if it has certain characteristics that makes it more enticing and high risk for copycats."

Health care providers, parents, and clinicians should be aware of what the media is presenting, so that they are better able to advise patients and are more alert for such copycatting in teens and young adults. Awareness and discussion may be important when dealing with teenagers, and just discussing and broaching these issues may help.

“Suicide is something we are always assessing for with any patient, with any patient interview. It’s a question that is always part of our interview,” she concluded.

All Interviews

From this Conference

1:34

Treating older patients with HIV/AIDS: Assessing depression vs cognitive dysfunction
New York, NY, May 11, 2018—Although it is encouraging that more and more patients infected with HIV/AIDS are living to older ages, managing symptomatology these patients...
Jordi Blanch, MD, PhD
1:12

Unique role of the psychiatrist in addiction management
New York, NY, May 7, 2018—If substance abuse disorders in patients with other mental illnesses are not addressed, patient outcomes will be much worse. Psychiatrists can...
Nora D. Volkow, MD
1:50

Managing schizophrenia: Advances and drawbacks in treatment options
With schizophrenia, the current standard of care focuses on controlling the patient’s positive symptoms, to make living with the condition manageable.
Leslie Citrome, MD, MPH

1:30

Adherence to antiretroviral therapy, management of depression in HIV/AIDS patients
New York, NY, May 11, 2018—Helping patients diagnosed with HIV/AIDS manage their depression can also promote better adherence to antiretroviral therapy, according to...
Jordi Blanch, MD, PhD
1:25

Social issues and common psychiatric comorbidities in HIV/AIDS patients
New York, NY, May 11, 2018—Depression and anxiety disorders are common in many patients who are infected with HIV/AIDs, but clinicians must take the time to diagnose...
Jordi Blanch, MD, PhD
2:12

Distinguishing between causes of opioid use disorder to personalize treatment
New York, NY, May 7, 2018—Identifying the cause of addiction in patients suffering from substance use disorders will help psychiatrists personalize treatment and tailor...
Nora D. Volkow, MD

This activity is not sanctioned by, nor a part of, the American Psychiatry Association 2018 Annual Meeting.