How should the media cover suicide?
The factors that contribute to suicide and its prevention are complex, but there is growing evidence that the media can play an important role in strengthening or weakening suicide prevention efforts.
The media's long-standing silence on suicide is not the answer to this serious public health problem, as the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates. The taboo surrounding suicide must be overcome in the media, but news coverage of suicides must adhere to certain criteria , which should be clear and agreed upon with media professionals to avoid a contagion effect and enhance the preventative impact.
Therefore, the media can have an influence on suicidal behavior in the population that can be either harmful or preventative, depending on the characteristics and treatment of the information. For this reason, the WHO has developed the fourth version of the guide, Suicide Prevention: A Resource for Media Professionals , in collaboration with the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP).
First, the WHO emphasizes that news stories about overcoming a suicidal crisis can contribute to a decrease in the number of suicides. Therefore, it encourages media professionals to present stories of people who overcome difficulties after a suicidal crisis , taking into account some guidelines it offers on what to do and what not to do when reporting on suicide.
What the media should do
Provide accurate information about where and how to seek help in case of suicidal thoughts and suicidal crises.
Information about support services should be presented at the end of the news story or, better yet, at the beginning of every news story about a suicide. Specific services may include suicide prevention centers, crisis helplines (including those serving specific population subgroups), health and wellness professionals, or self-help groups.
Be very careful when reporting on the suicide of famous people.
The suicide of a celebrity is considered newsworthy; however, glorifying the death of a famous person can inadvertently suggest that society honors or even encourages suicidal behavior and, therefore, could promote it in others. For this reason, great care must be taken when reporting on the suicide of celebrities. Reports should not describe the method or location used, and should not glorify suicide in any way . It is preferable to focus on the celebrity's life, their contributions to society, and how their death negatively impacts others, rather than presenting details of the suicide or offering simplistic explanations for why it occurred.
It is always advisable to provide information on how to prevent suicide, to incorporate the message that people with suicidal thoughts should seek help, and to indicate how to access that help.
Educate the public by presenting the reality about suicide and suicide prevention, based on accurate information.
There are many misconceptions and myths about suicide . Research has shown that the likelihood of copycat behavior increases when these myths are perpetuated in media reports. In addition to carefully investigating the facts when covering suicide, it is essential to always report on how to prevent it, emphasize that people with suicidal thoughts should seek help, explain how to access that help, and encourage the community to support one another.
A service that saves lives through the word
Be careful when interviewing family members or friends who are grieving, or people with direct experience of suicide.
The opinions and experiences of people who have suffered a loss due to suicide are essential for teaching others about the reality of suicide . However, several important issues must be considered when interviewing people who are grieving.
- Family members, friends, and others experiencing intense grief from an acute loss may be in crisis, which could affect their ability to provide accurate information.
- Interviews with children who have lost a parent to suicide should always be avoided at all costs. Respect for their privacy must take precedence over writing a dramatic story.
- Interviewees should not be approached at all until enough time has passed to reasonably assume that they know their friend or loved one has died by suicide.
- Journalists should carefully consider the accuracy of all information received from family members during an interview because their testimony about memories (the "halo effect"), hindsight bias, and specific statements or behaviors at the time of the suicide could be clouded due to their great grief.
- When reporting on an actual case of suicide or a suicide attempt that occurred a long time ago, it is important to remember that discussing past experiences with a suicide case can bring back painful emotions and memories.
- Whenever possible, the interviewee will be shown the reports containing their personal testimonies before publication to allow them to make corrections or changes before publication.
Julian B. Iglesias
Disseminate information about how to cope with life stressors or suicidal thoughts, and the importance of seeking help.
Presenting examples of people who found ways to cope with and overcome adverse circumstances and suicidal thoughts can help others in difficult life situations adopt similar positive coping strategies. It is also recommended to include educational material in news reports and features that explains how a person can get help when facing seemingly insurmountable difficulties.
Recognize that even media professionals can be affected when covering news about suicides.
The preparation of a news story about a suicide can occur in any setting, but it can be particularly important in small, close-knit communities where media professionals have strong local ties. Media outlets have an obligation to ensure their professionals have the necessary support, such as access to information and mentoring arrangements.
What the media should not do
Do not publish content related to suicide as the main topic and do not unnecessarily repeat such news.
- Ideally, newspaper articles about suicide should be found on inside pages, in the center of the page, and not on the front page or at the top of an inside page ; likewise, digital reports should not be placed in a prominent location.
- Similarly, news reports on suicide broadcast on radio or television may be presented in the second or third television news segment, and lower in the order of radio reports, and not as the main topic.
- Online media outlets should not include a public "comments" feature on news stories about a particular suicide case.
- No update to the news should be released to alert the public about the specific method of suicide that was used.
Do not describe the method used.
These portrayals are harmful and should be avoided whenever possible because they increase the likelihood that a vulnerable person will imitate the act . Furthermore, new methods can easily spread if the media sensationalizes them, an effect that could be accelerated through social media. However, if the decision has been made to include a method in the report, it is best to do so only once, at the heart of the story, and not in a headline, opening paragraph, subheading, or other prominent part of the report. This should always be done in the most general terms possible.
Do not mention names or give details about the place or location.
Imitation suicides have been reported following news reports that mention well-known locations. Similar precautionary measures should be taken when reporting on suicides or suicide attempts in educational settings or specific institutions (e.g., prisons or mental health facilities).
The media should avoid mentioning the method used or giving details of the location where it was carried out, to reduce the chances of imitation.
Do not use language or content that is sensationalist, idealizes or normalizes suicide, or presents it as a viable solution to problems.
- It is much more advisable to report on the increase in "suicide" rates and not on a "suicide epidemic".
- It is preferable to use phrases such as "attempted suicide" or "death by suicide".
- The out-of-context use of "suicide," as in the case of "political suicide," can desensitize the public to the seriousness of suicide.
- Terms such as "failed suicide" or "successful suicide," which imply that death is a desirable outcome, should be avoided.
- The term "commit suicide" implies a crime (historically, suicide was criminalized in many countries and remains so in some today) and unnecessarily increases the stigma for those who have lost a loved one to suicide. It is better to say or write "died by suicide" or "took their own life."
Do not oversimplify the reason for a suicide or reduce it to a single factor.
The idea that a single factor causes a person to take their own life is incorrect. For example, it would be incorrect to report that a person took their own life because of a breakup. Highlighting simplistic reasons to explain a suicide increases the likelihood that vulnerable people with similar experiences will identify with the deceased, and this, in turn, could intensify their suicidal thoughts and feelings.
Dr. Francisco Villar Cabeza
Do not use sensationalist language in headlines.
References to the method or location of suicide should be omitted, and the word "suicide" should not be used in the headline (an exception to this could be an article on suicide prevention where the word "prevention" is used in the headline). Care should also be taken in news reports and media coverage of suicide prevention campaigns to avoid or minimize the use of the word "suicide" in headlines, as this further sensationalizes the issue.
The term "committing suicide" implies a crime and unnecessarily increases the stigma for those who have lost a loved one to suicide.
Do not use photographs, video footage, audio recordings, or links to digital media or social networks.
The use of photographs, video footage, audio recordings, or links to digital media or social networks related to a suicide scene is discouraged, especially if they contain details about a specific method or location of suicide. Furthermore, extreme caution is necessary when using images of a person who has died by suicide.
Do not report the details of suicide notes
Suicide notes, final text messages, and similar communications should not be disclosed or published; this includes the deceased person's "last" social media post or "last" email. Details in a suicide note can romanticize or glorify suicide. They can also increase the risk of someone identifying with the deceased, which can be distressing for family and friends.
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