Every show with a suicide now has a disclaimer with a suicide hotline at the beginning. Is there any evidence that these warnings make a positive difference?
Every show with a suicide now has a disclaimer with a suicide hotline at the beginning. Is there any evidence that these warnings make a positive difference?
Good question, but I expect as far as whether it should be there or not, it doesn’t really matter. There is no harm in it being there, after all. And in the end, if it helps one single person not kill themself, I’d say that’s a win.
See, that’s where having the data would be great Because while this is intuitive, it’s not confirmed. I think most shows showing suicide also paint the event in a pretty bad light. What if having the disclaimer there makes someone not want to watch the show, and they continue to glorify suicide, whereas maybe if they watched the show and saw someone in pain after their loved one committed suicide, maybe it’d trigger something in them, to know how much this act would hurt others.
I’m not saying this is the case. I would just like to know the numbers, because unless they show a decrease in suicide attempts since the warning/phone number was introduced, then we’re really just speculating if it’s helping, hurting, or just neutral.
I can say I’ve never glorified suicide. When I’ve been suicidal, suicide is literally the only logical solution my brain can arrive at. It’s completely irrational in hindsight, but it makes so much sense at the time.
I don’t think I have ever not-watched something due to content warnings alone. But it has alerted me that there may be issues, so it doesn’t surprise me when it comes up.