Have you ever heard of “suicide contagion”? It’s a recognized phenomenon wherein one suicide triggers a series of other suicides. There’s a greater risk of this happening in the wake of the suicide of a beloved public figure than when a private citizen takes his or her own life, and it’s something worth being sensitive to now. If you have been having suicidal thoughts, or if you’re concerned about the mental health or wellbeing of someone you love, it’s time to reach out for help.
Here’s an excerpt from a New York Times article on the suicide contagion phenomenon, and we hope you’ll click through for the full text.
When Marilyn Monroe killed herself in August 1962, the nation reacted. In the months afterward, there was extensive news coverage, widespread sorrow and a spate of suicides. According to one study, the suicide rate in the United States jumped by 12 percent compared with the same months in the previous year.
Mental illness is not a communicable disease, but there’s a strong body of evidence that suicide is still contagious. Publicity surrounding a suicide has been repeatedly and definitively linked to a subsequent increase in suicide, especially among young people. Analysis suggests that at least 5 percent of youth suicides are influenced by contagion.
People who kill themselves are already vulnerable, but publicity around another suicide appears to make a difference as they are considering their options. The evidence suggests that suicide “outbreaks” and “clusters” are real phenomena; one death can set off others. There’s a particularly strong effect from celebrity suicides.
“Suicide contagion is real, which is why I’m concerned about it,” said Madelyn Gould, a professor of Epidemiology in Psychiatry at Columbia University, who has studied suicide contagion extensively.