Can Facebook Prevent Suicides?

Michelle said...

I think this idea has its heart in the right place, but it can be really difficult to determine whether or not someone is seriously contemplating suicide via the internet. While someone discussing suicide casually on the internet is just as concerning, being able to distinguish the difference between true intention and simple discussion of intent would be critical if someone is going to try to figure out enough information about the person to contact the local police to intervene.
I also feel people discussing suicide “publicly” on the internet may not take to kindly to their discussions or statements resulting in police intervention in real life. I would worry that if the police intervened on an attempt discussed online that a person may re-attempt and make specific effort to keep their intentions secret because they felt alienated beforehand.

Comment made on March 10th, 2011

Amber Keen said...

The reason this teen died after posting his /her intent on suicide is likely because facebook is a very self-centred society. Sure, teens “live” on facebook, but only so they can fool themselves into believing the world, although actually seeing, is actually going to CARE. As a young adult with mental health concerns I have often posted comments with the intent of someone giving a crap and responding, yet have always been ignored. Never mind posting intent, the only way (practically) anyone would get a response would be if the posted a video of the actual event - for example swallowing 100 sleeping pills one by one and posting the video before they became unable to control their motions and pass out. That might get a response - a smart ass comment as I’ve had from cops, nurses, and doctors such as “If you really wanted to be dead you’d be dead already.” because likely someone would respond by initiating a gastric lavage and activated charcoal. News flash: No one gives a crap unless it will make them look bad if they don’t. And then they only give a crap if there are witnesses of the professional kind who don’t form an alliance with them. Or else they form a mutual agreement: “I won’t tell if you won’t, lets instigate this waste of space/resources suicide and get them out of our tax-funded health care system. And hey, after we dare them to do something stupid and they actually DO (sidenote: don’t dare a crazy person) lets kick them in the gut / taser them and leave out in our report the role our instigating played in their self-harm / suicide” Because I hate to break it to a “Police will fix everything” believing society, but from the mouths of cops I have personally delt with, “If you really wanted to be dead you’d be dead already / don’t call us again / Why don’t you do something else stupid? Go on, let’s see it. / We have important things we should be doing / I was supposed to go to mass / breakfast / a hockey game with my family but now i have to babysit YOU until a bed is open in psych emerge. Thanks a lot./ You’re a waste of resources / Youu’re manipulative / Why haven’t they locked you up already / Why do they keep letting you out?” Why? because they don’t care. Nobody gives a flying fornication.

Comment made on March 15th, 2011

Siri said...

The program may not be as effective as it intended to be. It may lead to hoaxes by some teenagers who would like to test if the police may actually come. But I have to say that I value the fact that people care and try to find more ways to help those who really need it. Police may find that they have more work to do - unnecessary work most of the times. But if they can save just one life, wouldn’t that be worth it?

Comment made on March 22nd, 2011

Giselle said...

In response to Stan:

Although I have no idea how effective this program will be, I doubt it will have an effect opposite of that intended.  I don’t think kids will be encouraged to commit suicide.  I am not sure why that would be a consideration.

I do not think that this program is actually even addressing the issue of teen suicide using social media.  They are not proactively trying to prevent suicide but merely scanning for messages that may indicate that someone is considering the idea.

Although we do not know if this or other new suicide intervention programs will succeed, what we do know is that suicide is still a major issue.  Therefore, current interventions are either insufficient or not implemented widely enough.  New programs need to be considered because the problem is still very real.

Limiting access to lethal means such as guns is only part of an effective intervention.  If someone really wants to kill themselves, they will find a way to get access to pills, a kitchen knife, razor, or rope.  Finding a lethal tool is easy.  Training health care workers, parents, and teachers to recognize warning signs and intervene is probably the best way to prevent suicide, especially in adolescents.

In response to Michelle:

Anyone discussing suicide on the internet deserves to be examined for risk factors.  Even if some people are not actually contemplating it, saving just one person is worth the effort.  People may be upset if the police come knocking on their doors, but if they realize the point, they should understand that it’s just a minor inconvenience compared to the potential to save a life.  If the proper intervention is taken, the person will probably not re-attempt suicide as talking about it beforehand can be a call for help.

In response to Amber Keen:

I am very sorry you feel as though your calls for help have been ignored.  If you’d like, you may respond to this blog post and I can put you in touch with someone who cares and may be able to help you.  Please realize that there is always a reason to live, even though you may not be able to see that right now.

I am also sorry that you have been mistreated by health care officials as well as law enforcement.  Please realize that not every member of the health care community or law enforcement will act that way.  There are a lot of great people out there who would be willing to help you.

Comment made on March 31st, 2011

Amber Keen said...

Who did you have in mind, Giselle? I do utilize the distress centre and mobile response team, they have their plus sides. I find kids help phone useless, as if you say you are considering suicide they just play some stupid pointless recording starting with “Please remember why we are here” as if you are prank calling. Or they just hang up. In general, they worsen the situation.. I also have a therapist and ILS worker, however I am always looking for additional support as I have a fear of people getting sick of me and my problems as has happened to often in the past. I would like someone on-call who is a professional and ACTS like one (unlike the counselors at kids help phone), as sometimes I think I render the volunteers at distress centre speachless.

Comment made on April 01st, 2011

Giselle said...

Dear Amber Keen,

Thank you for your response.  I should mention that I am not a health care worker or an expert who is qualified to give any kind of advice (just a concerned teacher).

That being said, I’m not sure if you’re here in the US, but the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline here is 1-800-273-8255.  Their website is www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/.  There’s also the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention at www.afsp.org, www.save.org, and www.stopasuicide.org.

More information can be found on http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/means-matter/

I wish you nothing but the best of physical and mental health.

Comment made on April 01st, 2011

Amber Keen said...

Thank you, I will keep them in mind. I have called them before when I only had a payphone and no change - the 1-800 number is convienent. Often they can also transfer your call to a local resource. I called them once from a payphone after taking an overdose and had to call a free number to explain my “rational” to someone (I was attempting to get my psychiatrist in trouble. He discharged me after I said “If you discharge me I will take 100 sleeping pills and kill myself” and he didn’t give a crap) The Kids Help Phone hung up on me, but the NSPL was very kind and talk to me until I blacked out/passed out/whatever happened. (I was having a hard time discribing my location, and they didn’t want to place me on hold to trace the call or whatever it is they do). Probably a good 5-10 minutes, although I had taken the pills approx 30 minutes before placing the call.

But you should know that I am making improvements. Kind people like you make me stronger, compassion builds me bridges of steel. Just struggling a little because my therapist has been away for a week, I’ve missed three appointments. But I have a new baby guinea pig now that needs care (born yesterday!) His name is ‘Flake. (Kind of like ‘ello is short for hello, well ‘Flake comes from snowflake, which is the name I had been suggested but I thought ‘Flake had a more attitudinal sound to it, and if he’s anything like his parents he will be very ornery.

Thank you again,
Amber

Comment made on April 01st, 2011

Giselle said...

Dear Amber,

I am very glad to hear that you are making improvements. 

I am also glad that you have ‘Flake to take care of!  I am sure he’s adorable.  I did a quick search and found some literature showing that having a pet can help to alleviate some of the symptoms of depression.  It seems to make sense that taking care of something can lift one’s spirits a bit.

Best wishes,
Giselle

Comment made on April 01st, 2011

H.W. said...

This question is such an interesting one, and so incredibly relevant to what is going on today with our youth (and even adults) given the high usage of social media. As pointed out earlier, I too agree that Facebook could both help and have the potential to hurt in terms of preventing suicides. I have read a lot of research on the “social learning hypothesis” which essentially states that adolescents learn from, and mimic, their peers or different behaviors that they read about or see in the media and with celebrities. Because Facebook has such a presence in everyone’s lives, it may be a tricky outlet to discuss suicide on as it could have the potential to suggest ideas to certain at risk youth.  With that said, I have also read that in certain cases, message boards/forums (which could be created through Facebook) may be helpful because it helps teens to connect with others in similar situations. This might help to show adolescents that they are not alone, and could even give them access to resources that have helped other teens recover from depression and suicidal tendencies. Most importantly, we have to realize that we cannot really control what kids post on Facebook. So whether it helps or hurts, in the long run, we need obvious access to positive websites where teens can get help. It would be most helpful if these sites could be positioned on the Facebook advertisements of Teens’ pages as a way to reach out to those who might be most at risk.

Comment made on April 04th, 2011

Jessica said...

Thank you for raising this question about suicide and facebook. I think it’s important for adults and professionals to think about the way that facebook and social media are real and important to teens and we should take these realms seriously as adolescent modes of communication. Having said that, I’m really not sure that police intervention specifically is the best way to help adolescents who are contemplating suicide. As Amber pointed out, a lot of adolescents post to facebook because they want to know how their “facebook friends” will respond. They want to be known, heard, and cared for. This is not the role of the police and I don’t think that the police are best placed to fulfill a need that these teens may be expressing. I think we need to think more creatively about who else might be alerted about a possible suicide threat?

Comment made on April 11th, 2011

Vivian said...

More and more adolescents are using facebook and social media outlets as a place to broadcast their emotions and thoughts. But in a time where teens are trying out different identities and figuring themselves out, it is important to remember that a status posted one minute can be forgotten the next. I’m not saying that we should dismiss what these teens are saying, but to deem certain phrases on facebook as risk factors for suicide is irresponsible as well. We don’t know other moderators that can affect whether this person really is at risk and we shouldn’t involve the police without knowing these details.

I think it is important to utilize other teens in this matter and educate them to be aware of when a peer or friend may be reaching out for help. By teaching adolescents to be aware of what may be a warning sign and teaching them to care about their fellow peers (whether they are really friends or not) helps to build their moral development as well as to provide a safety net. If they do see someone that seems to be at risk, they could let their guidance counselor (or someone of that status) know.

On a side note, I do believe that cyberspace bullying is a risk factor for teenage depression and increases the risk of suicide. If cyberbullying is evident on a teen’s facebook wall in addition to their thoughts of perhaps harming themselves, then some action should be taken.

Comment made on April 14th, 2011

Matt E. said...

I have several comments about this initiative. First, let me say that I think it is strange and a breach of privacy. When did suicide prevention become something that was enforced by the police; is it illegal to kill yourself? Also, I do not like the idea of the internet being scanned for red flags. For better or worse, the internet—when relatively unregulated, as in the US—is a paradigm of freedom, oftentimes giving people the opportunity to express themselves more freely than in the real world. I would hate to see our freedoms eroded even more by regulating and monitoring the net.

I also do not see how this program could be carried out effectively. It would be very hard to determine if someone is seriously contemplating suicide based on what they post on Facebook.  For instance, what if someone has a status update that says, “I’ve had enough. I’m just going to kill myself,” but they are only joking. (My sister has posted something to this effect a gazillion times). Only the individual’s friends, etc. would understand the statement in context and know that it is not a real suicide threat. People can be very dramatic, especially in cyberspace. It would be a ridiculous waste of time, energy, and resources if the police showed up at a person’s door for something like this. 

Finally, what does it say about society if we need to resort to Facebook to identify students at risk for committing suicide? What does it say about peer relations if the police are the only ones responding to cries for help on Facebook, not the peers and friends of the person in need? It shows that people do not care and are too disengaged from the real world. I think parents need to be more concerned about their children, seeking more information about their personal and school life; and schools need to devote more time and resources to suicide prevention and other socio-emotional learning efforts, rather than focusing only on academics.

Comment made on April 25th, 2011

Amber said...

Matt E - Yes, it is illegal to kill yourself. Although it is not a “crime” per say, and does not result in jail time (unless homicide is attempted simultaniously) the police are almost always the ones to respond to suicide threats/attempts. And although I have stated my questions as to if it would work or not, it is not a breach of privacy. Privacy laws which cover all confidentiality agreements, inclueding ones made with your doctor/counsellor/teacher etc are legally exempt if you are a threat to youself or others, you state a crime that has been, is being, or will be commited (particularly involving a minor), or if the records are supined by the courts. Although people can be dramatic, they should (inclueding your sister) learn some tact. You wouldn’t joke about having cancer or being a parapalegic, so why joke about kiling youself? It is fairly well known that the internet lacks in forms of non-verbal communication, so people need to be careful what they say - things like rolling the eyes, winking, or smiling to indicate a joke are often missed and statements can be misleading. If one of your classmates said “I’m going to bomb the school!” would you want it ignored by police because it may be “dramatic” or assumed to be a “joke”? Or if someone told you “I’m going to kill you!” ? We often say such things in real life accompanied with a non-verbal message that we may be joking, however without that certainty through writing such things, inclueding “I’m going to kill myself!” need to be taken seriously.
Often peers and friends miss signs of suicide or a person may try to hide it from them. And besides, if someone is hell-bent on killing themselves, as I speak from experience, there is nothing a friend can do except ultimately call the police who may need to resport to force and the law to bring a person into a hospital under the mental health act and force treatment to save their life. It may suck, but it’s reality. Irrational people who don’t want help won’t ask for it, not from friends, family, or anyone. Even anonamous distress lines and suicide prevention hotlines have ways of assisting the police in tracking you down if you pose an immediate threat.

Comment made on April 26th, 2011

Matt E. said...

Amber: of course it is not illegal to kill yourself. I was not talking about making public threats to harm yourself or attempting suicide but failing. I was talking about actually killing yourself. Jail time would be hard then. And even if someone did make a suicide threat, I’m sorry, but this is still not illegal. Police might intervene, but that does not mean that there is a law that states that suicide is illegal. If there is, please cite it.
  Also, I believe that scanning the internet is a breach of privacy. It violates our first amendment rights. This is my opinion, and there can only be opinions about this issue at this point. The internet is relatively new, so there are no firm laws and precedents from court cases to determine if scanning the net violates out rights. As US policies on issues like this become more and more concrete, it is essential that people stand up for their our so all of our actions are not being monitored.

Comment made on April 26th, 2011

Matt E. said...

Please excuse the typos:)

Comment made on April 26th, 2011

Amber said...

You’re right - it hasn’t been illegal in any state in the US since the 1990s. However it is “not allowed” and if attempted the police can arrest and hold you (at least in Canada) under the Mental Health Act against your will. You won’t go to jail, but you will be sent to a hospital and held until you are deemed no longer a threat to yourself.

And if scanning the internet is a breach of privacy, you better start putting together your lawsuit against Google. And hell, if social media should be completely free of monitoring, scanning, and so forth, ought not kiddie porn be allowed? I mean, what’s with this censorship protecting the vulnerable? Like children or those who are depressed and want the shit to stop. And as internet is a form of publishing, or press, you should know thatfFreedom of the press, like freedom of speech, is subject to restrictions. We’re not talking about monitering “all out actions”, we talking about monitoring society’s vulnerable. Like we protect children, we need to protect those who are mentally unsound and at risk. If you don’t want to get arrested for child pron, don’t post it. If you don’t want to get arrested under the Mental Health Act, don’t say “I’m going to kill myself”.

Comment made on April 26th, 2011

sastro joyo said...

Thank you really for helping make the post give light to many problems we have had before now.

Comment made on April 29th, 2011