Teen mental health experts are focusing on the new hit show "13 Reasons Why", because of it's relation to suicide. The protagonist of the story kills herself and leaves behind 13 tapes which each talks about a specific persons actions that caused her to make the decision to end her life. The show has been very popular and the experts are concerned that it romanticizes suicide. "Had I been watching that as the vulnerable, fragile kid that I was when I was 13 or 14, I might have watched that and thought, -'Oh, that's the easy way out. This is going to get me the attention that I need. This is what I have to do,'" said 19-year-old Alexa Curtis, the founder of Media Impact and Navigation for Teens. "I can't say that there is a group of people that 'shouldn't' watch this show. I think it is more important how people watch it, with whom, and how it is processed afterward," Eric Beeson, a licensed professional counselor who serves as an online faculty member at The Family Institute at Northwestern University, said. School districts across the country (including the Shawnee Mission School District in Kansas and Montclair Public Schools in New Jersey) are sending letters to parents about the suicide-related content on the show. Curtis hopes that "13 Reasons Why" will encourage young people to speak out about personal struggles and not view suicide as "a way out."
I've only seen few episodes, because I read something like this before I had seen any of them and that made me not want to support the show, but eventually I got curious. I feel like the most vulnerable people should not watch the show, because the show it self might not trigger the suicide but it may cause an butterfly effect. I think schools should send out a letter regarding the show and its content, especially if the area's suicide stats etc. are high.
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1. Have you watched the show? If yes, do you think the experts are on to something when they say the show might cause more suicides?
2. Do you think schools across the country and more specifically our school should send out a letter addressing the content of the show? Why or why not?
Replies
I see what you mean. Do you think it was a good think to show her suicide and that it wasn't painless? I feel like this subject is very sensitive so it's good to try not to be offensive or attacking. The writers said they wanted to show suicide isn't painless and an easy way out.
I think that if anyone ends up harming themselves soon then maybe the school should send letters out because that wouldn't be good. I don't want to end up seeing any of my friends in that state of being.
I have watched the show, and I enjoyed it. Some areas of it could hit some people pretty hard and I wouldn't want anyone to harm themselves because of the cont in this show. I think experts do make a point that this might give kids ideas to commit suicide.
I haven't watched this show, but i dont think that it makes it an easy way out for suicidal people, because people are going to be jerks to others, no matter where you go, but suicide should never be the answer, for anything. I dont think that schools should send a letter home about this show, because it's not their place to tell the students what they can and can't watch on their free time. It's up to the parents and the kids's choice to watch this show or not.
Do you think people should get educated on suicide, because sometimes the suicidal person might not see any resolution that ending their life? I agree that the school shouldn't tell the students what to do, but I do think that the parents should be aware of the shows content.
I haven't watched the show but I have heard it is very good. I feel like the school shouldn't send out any letters, because parents might have a bad reaction about what is going on and it might cause some problems.
I have watched the show. I feel like it could cause some suicides but not a whole lot. I think many people may learn from it by how others are effected when somebody takes their own life. I think letters or something should be done because you never know how kids are going to react to that kind of stuff.
I have seen the show and I think that it could affect many people who are vulnerable. The people who know that they are suicidal should probably not watch the show because of all the touchiness of suicide. I think that it does open your eyes for many people that if you were to commit suicide that you would hurt many people around you. I don't think that the school needs to get involved with what the students are watching at home. It is up to you and your parents what you watch and not the school.
I have watch the show and I feel that this will help show people the reality of this world. This also could turn on itself but I am not sure what will happen for this TV show. i feel the schools should not send out letters and its up to the parents to decide if there kids should watch the show.
Yes I have watched the shows and I don't really think that the show promotes suicide. It is trying to show kids the signs of suicide and how if someone would have just noticed the signs then they could have prevented that person from committing suicide. I think that schools should address the signs of a person that is suicidal, but I don't think they should address the show in any way.
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