5 things to tell your child about 13 Reasons Why

Follow me on Twitter @drClaire Teens are affected by what their peers do and say — and by what they see in the media. We all know this. Most of the time, it isn’t a serious problem. But when it comes to suicide, it can be a serious problem. That’s why many parents and professionals are worried about the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why. Based on the book by Jay Asher, it tells the story of Hannah, who kills herself and leaves behind 13 tapes for the people who played a role in her decision. The worry is that the series could make some vulnerable teens consider or try suicide. How worrisome is this? It’s a reasonable concern. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in youth ages 15 to 19, just behind accidents — some of which might actually be suicides. According to the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), 17.7% of high school students said they considered suicide in the previous year, 14.6% made a plan, and 8.6% tried to kill themselves. That’s a lot of kids. And given that there are studies that show that teens are more likely to commit suicide when they hear or read about another suicide, or when a schoolmate commits suicide, it’s understandable why the Netflix series has raised alarm. Trying to stop teens from watching it is a natural response. But besides the fact that it’s hard to do that for a show mostly watched online, the better response may be to use the show to start conversations, and get educated, about suicide. Some teens are definitely at h...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Anxiety and Depression Behavioral Health Children's Health Parenting Source Type: blogs