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Lakewood Times

    Teen Suicides Increasing After Netflix Show “13 Reasons Why”

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    The Netflix series “13 Reasons Why” is a fictional story about a teenage girl named Hannah Baker. After she committed suicide, the cassette tapes she left for the people who helped her decision of her ending her life were released.

     

    This show was created to help deliver the message of teen suicide, rape, bullying, and more issues that are relevant today. Having being portrayed throughout the two seasons of this Netflix show.

     

    A month after the release of the show, the suicide rate was 0.57 per 100,000 10 to 17 year olds. CNN stated, “The increase was primarily driven by boys, whose rate of suicide went up 28.9% in the month after the premiere of the show.” For girls, the rates of suicide remained stable, not changing compared to the increase for boys.

     

    The show was thought to help the prevention of suicide and give education to people on this topic. Suicide in America is the third leading cause of death for kids between the ages of 10 and 24. Learning from the data taken, girls are more likely to attempt suicide while boys are more likely to commit suicide. While the new study did not measure the amount of attempted suicides.

     

    After the show was released, many school districts and schools, sent out letters to families of students discussing the caution. Even Netflix added a warning video that had given additional crisis resources for viewers.

     

    While the show was thought of helping today’s society on suicide and real things that occur behind closed doors. The main goal was to help people seek help when they come to the thought of suicide and not inflict think things that push others to suicide. However, by the rates of teen suicides increasing, it did not reach the goal of the producers or the actors.

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