In 2020, Singapore reported 452 suicides, a 13% increase compared to 400 cases in 2019. This is the highest since 2012. Suicide deaths rose to 8.88 per 100,000 Singapore residents, up by 0.88 as compared to 2019. Since media portrayals of suicide have a significant impact on social attitudes and perceptions of suicide, accurate media reporting on suicide is crucial to suicide prevention.
Social media has drawbacks even if it can be a useful tool for connecting with others and sharing your life. Adolescents all over the world engage in or are victims of cyberbullying, and in some cases, they take their own lives as a result. Since the advent of social media, articles regarding teen suicides have become increasingly prevalent.
The “Werther effect” or copycat behavior, as media-related suicide contagion is commonly known, is a serious public health issue. Social media is currently the most widely used platform for communication and social interaction. It is a concept for how modern media adapts to meet our wants and expectations as they change and develop. Our personal and professional lives now include a significant amount of social media due to its adaptation and evolution.
According to an article, social media and smartphones are not always the main cause of suicidal thoughts. Dr. Thomas Simon explains that “‘The increases in suicide rates are unlikely to be due to any single factor,’… adding that substance abuse history, legal problems, or exposure to another person’s suicidal behavior all raise the risk for suicide.”
It is impossible to pinpoint one single reason why suicide rates have increased; it is a combination of many factors. Teens feel pressured to have a perfect body like the influencers they see on social media and could lead them to develop multiple mental illnesses. Social media and smartphones have allowed for bullying to be done anonymously instead of in person. Social media can cause several mental illnesses, commonly depression and anxiety.
In the article ‘Social Networking and Depression among University Students.’, co-author Nasir Ahmad takes information from a survey regarding University students and the effect of social media on their mental health. A prevalent theme among the students was that “people who use social media daily have a higher risk of developing depression”. Also, many of the surveys showed that because of people spending so many hours on social media, it is much easier for them to develop mental illnesses.
On top of that, young adults are losing various hours of sleep because of how much time they spend on their phones. Social media is altering the way teens live, and more importantly, their mental health. Therefore, when talking about suicide-related topics, it’s crucial to strike a balance between objectivity and sensitivity. The least amount of suffering that may be caused to the loved ones left behind must be taken into account and prioritized when media reports are broadcast.
So do you think? Does social media play a positive or negative effect on us?
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