News Review
The‘ Werther effect’ was coined in the 1970s, after the protagonist in Goethe’ s novel The Sorrows of Young Werther prompted young men in 18th-century Europe to dress and act like him. from previous page
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A 30 min application of Zatamil Hydrogel achieves a similar skin response over 24 hours compared to a 70 min application of mometasone furoate ointment. 1, 3 see their face at my funeral’ without understanding that they will not get to see that.”
Dr Kelly says parents have taken her to task over her views. The parents believe the show has provided a starting point to talk to their own kids about issues like bullying and depression.
But she is not the only expert worried. Within weeks of its broadcast, Headspace issued an alert to schools, parents and young people saying the show was dangerous and that it was particularly alarmed at the graphic way in which it depicted Hannah’ s death.
“ National and international research clearly indicates the very real impact and risk to harmful suicide exposure leading to increased risk and possible suicide contagion,” warned Kristen Douglas, national manager of Headspace School Support.
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References: 1. Zatamil hydrogel bioequivalence study C11 – 019 – LBB( ZPS-456). Data on File, Ego Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd. 2. Department of Health, Therapeutic Goods Administration. Search conducted on 11 / 09 / 2017. Search term used‘ mometasone hydrogel’ on website: www. ebs. tga. gov. au. 3. Mometasome furoate ointment bioequivalence study C11 – 009 – LBB [ ZPS – 454). Ego Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd. Data on file, Ego Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd, 21 – 31 Malcolm Road, Braeside VIC 3195, Australia. Ph: + 61 3 9586 8800, Toll free 1800 033 706.‘ Ego’ and‘ Zatamil’ are trademarks of Ego Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd. © 2017 Ego. Prepared October 2017.
The Werther effect This idea of‘ suicide contagion’ is not new. It’ s usually described as the‘ Werther effect’, coined by a psychologist in the 1970s after the protagonist in Goethe’ s novel The Sorrows of Young Werther.
Seen as a precursor to the romantic movement, the novel, published in 1774, tells the life and death story through a series of letters of a young artist in the midst of suffering unrequited love.
The lead character, Werther, who is sensitive, despairing and ultimately forsaken, comes to believe he has little choice but to end his own life.
It caused a cultural stir across 18th-century Europe. Young men began dressing like Werther in yellow pants and blue jackets. There were also reports of young men shooting themselves with a pistol, mimicking the ultimate fate of their fictional hero.
As a result, the book was banned in some cities.
Associate Professor Philip Batterham, from the Australian National University’ s Centre for Mental Health Research, says as interest in the topic has grown, a large body of evidence has emerged suggesting that the inappropriate portrayal of suicide through the mass media can play a role in copycat attempts.
“ Some of the strongest evidence comes from studies of a particular suicide method— railway suicides— that spiked in young German males after a popular television show portrayed it,” he says.
In 1981 and 1982, the fictional serial Death of a Student showed a 19-yearold taking their own life on a railway line. A subsequent study called‘ Imitation Effects After Fictional Television Suicides’, the first to suggest a possible causal link between the media and suicide, found that 62 suicides took place during 70 days during and after the series’ first broadcast. 2
Studies on 13 Reasons Why are, as yet, limited beyond the JAMA article on Google searches.
But Professor Batterham says that several delegates to the International Association of Suicide Prevention congress held in Malaysia this year reported examples of clear copycat attempts and deaths, including young people who dressed as Hannah Baker when they killed themselves.
“ While media portrayal is unlikely to induce suicidal thoughts in healthy people, the risks of inappropriate portrayal are likely to outweigh the benefits,” he adds.
Mindframe and the media In general, the Australian news media attempts to be sensitive when reporting mental illness, and to interviewing people who have, or have had, a mental disorder.
Since 2002, Mindframe, an Australian Government initiative, has been working with the media, providing guidelines for journalists reporting on suicide.
Mindframe stresses that celebrity suicide should be handled with care, prominence should be reduced and details on method and location minimised. Language such as‘ took their own life’ instead of‘ committed suicide’ is also advised because of the way it links suicide with crime or sin.
They also discourage using phrases such as‘ suicide bid’ for the way in which it glamorises the attempt to kill oneself.
The quick guide for the media says editors should ask themselves whether they should report these events. If the answer is yes, it suggests taking care interviewing family and friends, taking into account cultural considerations as well as placing the story in context, seeking expert advice and presenting information that may be helpful such as risk factors.
But while news organisations seem to have taken the lessons on board, what responsibilities do film makers, writers and artists have? Is their duty to document the dark, often uncomfortable truths in their work despite the possible social consequences?
Several Australian films feature stories and confronting portrayals of suicide. At just 21 years of age, Murali Thallur, a little known filmmaker originally from Canberra, debuted 2:37, a story of a student who took their own life in a school bathroom. It was selected by the Cannes Film Festival in 2006.
He said he was inspired by a friend who died and left a video suicide note. His own subsequent depression and suicide attempt also gave him insights into the subject.
“ I wanted to show that suicide is not weak and it’ s not selfish. It just comes from this indescribable pain that’ s so intense it turns into physical pain and the only way to stop it is to stop living.”
Critics said the characters“ had real hopelessness in their lives” and that the suicide seen was extremely depressing, but Mr Thalluri aimed to show a very real portrayal of the victims’ helplessness. The International Associ-
12 | Australian Doctor | 27 October 2017 www. australiandoctor. com. au