Online searches about suicide and methods spiked after Netflix’s ‘13 Reasons Why’ teen drama: study

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Katherine Langford as Hannah Baker in a scene from the series, "13 Reasons Why." The popular TV series about Baker's suicide that showed her ending her life may have prompted a surge in online searches for suicide, including how to do it, according to a new study published Monday. Photo: Netflix via AP

Published: 12:36pm, 1 Aug 2017Updated: 9:12pm, 1 Aug 2017

Online searches about suicide and suicidal methods soared in the weeks following the release of controversial Netflix drama 13 Reasons Why, about a teenage girl who killed herself, US researchers said Monday.

While the report in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Internal Medicine did not examine whether the number of actual suicides rose following the popular drama’s release, researchers said the spike in internet searches is cause for concern.

Overall, suicide-related queries were 19 per cent higher than expected following the show, said the research letter in JAMA.

“There were between 900,000 and 1,500,000 more suicide-related searches than expected during the 19 days following the series’ release,” said study co-author Mark Dredze, a professor of computer science at Johns Hopkins University.

This file photo taken on March 30 shows actress/singer Selena Gomez (centre) surrounded by cast members as they arrive for the premiere of Netflix's '13 Reasons Why' at Paramount Pictures Studio in Los Angeles. Gomez is executive producer of the show. Photo: AFP

Phrases like “how to commit suicide” rose 26 per cent, “commit suicide” was up 18 per cent and “how to kill yourself” increased nine per cent.

On the flip side, searches for phrases like “suicide hotline” were up 12 per cent, and “suicide prevention” rose 23 per cent.

“While it’s heartening that the series’ release concurred with increased awareness of suicide and suicide prevention, like those searching for ”suicide prevention,“ our results back up the worst fears of the show’s critics,” said lead author John Ayers, research professor at San Diego State University Graduate School of Public Health.