Suicide prevention gets a digital twist
October 09, 2015
While dangerous social media content can increase suicide risk for vulnerable teens, the same forums are also being used to share protective messages — and to advance the field of suicide prevention. Shelby Rowe, manager of education programs at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, said that when she asks high school counselors about this issue, “I hear a lot about bullying, but I hear a lot more about the benefits of social media.” However, the constant change that characterizes social media makes it difficult for suicide prevention researchers to evaluate its effects using traditional methods. To foster new thinking on these challenges, April Foreman, suicide prevention coordinator for the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Healthcare System, created the Suicide Prevention and Social Media online community. Each week, suicide attempt survivors, prevention experts, researchers, and others participate in a Twitter chat using the hashtag #SPSM. Some scientists are also interested in designing computer-based response systems to connect people with help when patterns in their posted messages indicate that they are at elevated risk.
Spark Extra! Watch a recent online panel presentation on Talking about Teens, Technology, and Suicide.