Media coverage is not the primary reason for the suicide, but it can serve as the crucial trigger during a critical phase of the illness.
Certain characteristics of a report will make imitation more likely:
Repetitive detailed reporting of the suicide,
Greater emotional content,
Suicide by a celebrity,
Reports in the print media.
This is not to say that suicide should not be discussed within the media, but know that the risk of a person identifying with a suicide is increased when:
attention is drawn to the suicide using cover stories, headlines and photos;
terms such as suicide appear in the headline;
the suicide method is described in detail;
a readily accessible scene is described or even glorified;
the social environment, the identity and motives are described poignantly;
the suicide is presented positively, or is glorified or romanticized;
the suicide is presented as completely incomprehensible or inevitable.
This risk decreases when:
alternative solutions to problems and crises are suggested;
suicide is depicted as a disease that could successfully be treated;
background information is included in the clinical picture;
expert opinion is sought;
helplines and contacts are indicated;
the work undertaken by professionals is reported.
