As political coverage continues to consume the nation’s attention, two tragedies in the last month prove we are neglecting the growing issues concerning mental illness in a digital generation.
On Dec. 30, 12-year-old Katelyn Nicole Davis livestreamed her suicide on a video streaming site. Within two weeks, another girl, Naika Venant, livestreamed a similar video to Facebook of her hanging herself. This chilling new trend in self-destruction punctuates the need for a national conversation about the dangerous and growing relationship between our online interactions and whether we act on our unhealthy thoughts.
One of the most terrifying aspects of the videos is the high potential for them to bring about copycat suicides. The tendency for teenagers to commit suicide after hearing about nationally publicized suicides has been dubbed the “Werther Syndrome,” named after the Johann Wolfgang von Goethe novel, The Sorrows of Young Werther, in which the protagonist takes his own life, leading to a slew of adolescent copycat deaths.
Nationally publicized death is no longer limited to the Kurt Cobains and the Marilyn Monroes of the world; anybody can make triggering, personal material go viral. Since local police can do little to prevent the spread of Katelyn’s video, it’s still viral and can serve as a potent trigger for viewers.
Suicide footage is only one of the dangers to mental health created by a promotional digital culture. Another concern is the presence of online communities that assemble based on their mental illnesses. While depressed users often see these chat rooms and blogs as an outlet and a source of friendship, these online platforms can enable users to continue self-destructive habits or reinforce negative cognitive schemas of themselves, their futures and the world around them.
“Pro-ana/mia” blogs, which have come under fire in recent years for promoting behaviors related to anorexia and bulimia nervosa, are a way for youth with eating disorders to find comfort in their sickness. The internet has become a minefield of triggers.
The solution may lie in the same place as the problem. Suicide hotlines that have online or text options often get more users on forums than they do on their phone lines. Just like there are “pro-ana/mia” blogs, there are also recovery blogs. It’s easier to find crisis outreach resources for younger people than it used to be, and social media sites have already taken initiative to prevent some of the more triggering graphic content. Instagram prompts users with a link to mental health resources when users search #ana or #mia and Google provides the suicide hotline as the first result in response to concerning searches. And while this may be a deterrent, it’s not even close to a final fix.
So, what do we do with all this? As we try to prevent copycat cases by preventing videos from spreading, a teetering argument of censorship begins to emerge. Can media be terminated simply because of its potential emotional consequences on viewers? Not yet, and that probably won’t change.
However, we must take every indication of suicide seriously. Naika posted a vague goodbye on her Facebook page before filming the video, and it’s common for other troubled teenagers to do the same. We must stay vigilant and wary. If someone you know may be in immediate danger, call the police. Tell someone who can help. Delegate. Act. We know now that this is still a very imminent problem growing in more directions than we’re keeping up with. The first step is to learn from these deaths. Today, the internet has become a place where people go to make a final call for help. It’s time we answer these calls.
Erin Hill is a freshman psychology major. She can be reached at erin.mckendry.hill@gmail.com.
