Like many individuals in society today, I have television shows that I watch regularly. Though I do not watch television as often as either of my roommates, I do own two complete television shows on DVD. I often watch these shows on my laptop while I study or surf the internet. One of these shows is Dawson’s Creek, which I have watched fairly regularly since I was in high school. Dawson’s Creek is the story of a group of friends as they meander through high school and college. Though a stereotypical teen drama show, Dawson’s Creek does delve into many serious topics. Some such topics include homosexuality, religion, divorce, and suicide.

In Dawson’s Creek, many characters face the struggle of suicide. For instance, there is a character, Andi, who has a particularly difficult time with her adolescence, as her brother recently died in a car accident and her mother has been hospitalized off and on for mental disorders. Andi strugles with suicidal ideation over time, eventually leading to her own hospitalization. Though she is one of the more intelligent individuals in the series- graduating at the top of her class and going to medical school, she also has some of the more serious struggles. She blames herself for her brother’s death and her mother’s instability, compounding her personal problems with her schoolwork. She begins to take anti-depressants, which she does not enjoy, because they make her feel as though she has no feelings. Of course, by the end of the series, Andi is an individual who is able to take care of herself successfully and is finishing her last year in residency in a local hospital. Andi beats depression in a way that is not neccessarily the most likely manner.

Another instance of suicide in the television show concerns the show’s homosexual character. In an episode that I just watched yesterday, Jack is dealing with his homosexuality and adjusting to university life. He finds himself on academic probation, while struggling to keep his grades high enough to even remain in college past his first two semesters. Because of this, Jack begins to mask his pain with much partying and drinking, while pushing his friends away, only making his loneliness more prevalent. He struggles to find his identity, while being known as the “gay football player” from high school. While significantly intoxicated and on his spring break, Jack jumps from a building into a pool. Another character jumps in after him, saving his life. However, Jack is forced to deal with his issues and talk about his feelings with his friends after this incident. He does not become medicated, but still must deal with his feelings of depression and loneliness, while attempting to allow his friends back into his life. He has blocked them out, which has isolated him. Again, all ends well for Jack. He graduates and gets a good job teaching at a high school. He ends up in a stable relationship and has a happy ending as happens in many television shows.

Though the endings to the stories of these individuals might not be exactly realistic, I believe that it is meaningful that pop culture is able to discuss such serious topics. Some individuals who watch television drama might feel some similar things that these people are going through. I feel that, though each of the characters ended up happy and in a pleasant situation, the Dawson’s Creek writers were fairly realistic in their interpretations of the struggles that many young people go through today. I know many people who have struggled through depression and suicidal ideation in their lifetimes. I also realize how important it is to not feel alone when dealing with such issues. I think that by making some of these issues more mainstream in society, it is likely that individuals might not feel so alone. By feeling a connection, individuals with severe depression might be able to keep stronger for a longer period of time and fight their urges of death.

suicide prevention websites

There are many websites dedicated to suicide. In fact, I searched “suicide prevention websites” in Yahoo!’s search engine and came up with 6,540,000 results. That is a larger number of websites than I have the time to look through. I chose three websites on the first page of the results and glanced through them.

I think that it is important to have these websites, though there are many websites that also have a positive glance toward suicide. It is easy to access either, but I feel that the staggering number of websites that are aimed toward suicide prevention is helpful. It seems that these websites mostly are aimed toward a person who is interested in suicide prevention, not neccessarily a person who is thinking of committing suicide. Each of th e websites that I looked at listed facts and statistics about suicide in the United States. For instance, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) mentions that in 2005, more than 25,000 males completed suicide, while 6,700 females did. This coincides with the fact that men and women often choose different methods of suicide. Often, men choose more violent methods of suicide, such as shooting himself, while women tend to lean toward overdosing or less severe suicide methods. This definitely has an effect on whether the suicide is completed or not.

Suicide.org discusses how to help someone who expresses that he or she is suicidal. Some of the ideas listed include staying with the person while waiting for help to arrive. It is important to also talk to the individual and find out as much information as possible about their suicidal thoughts. It is important to know how far in thinking a suicidal individual has gotten. They may or may not have a specific plan. The more specific the plan is, the more serious the individual might be about killing him or herself. The website also states that a person must stay with the person until professional help arrives. This way the individual is not left alone to take his or her life.  It is emphasized to find professional help for an individual who expresses suicidal ideation. Suicide.org lists telephone numbers that are available 24 hours a day for a suicidal person.

Suicide.org also has information listed about suicide in college students. I found this particularly relevant, considering that I, myself, am a college student and I find it interesting to read about the significance of suicide in college students. Apparently, college students are unlikely to seek help for depression or suicide ideation. I find this somewhat suprising, because many universities offer free counseling for students. Honestly, the fees for the counseling are often included in tuition fees. I find it a little suprising that students who already pay for these services do not use them, even if they are needed. According to suicide.org, 1 in 5 college students feel that they have a high level of depression, high enough to be treated, but only 6% of these students would seek help for suicide ideation or depression. It seems that colleges should be able to find a way to attract more students to their counseling program than are being used. It seems like a possibility that if counseling centers were more attractive to students, more might use them. This might help the suicide epidemic to a point.

Of the three websites that I came across today, my favorite was suicidal.com, which focused on the suicidal individual him or herself. I think that it is important that we have these websites that are dedicated to helping an indvidual who is suicidal. If a person is suicidal and searches for help online, without the urge to find help or call someone, maybe enter a hospital. On this website, there are several links that a suicidal person might find helpful. There is a link for individuals who are thinking of calling a suicide hotline, a link to information that might help this individual to understand what might happen upon calling such a number. The website is written in simple wording, with terms that are understandable to the average individual. The website seems to be written for an individual who is having a crisis. I really thought this website was helpful, that it might be particularly helpful for an individual who is struggling through a personal crisis in which he or she is feeling suicidal or particularly depressed. The website is full of helpful information, useful information.

too close to home.

Actually, over the weekend, a freshman at my university committed suicide in the dorms. The school newspaper this morning did not call it a suicide, because it had not been confirmed yet, but the confirmation has been made on an updated post on the newspaper’s website. I did not know the student, but the story of his death reminds me of several similar stories that I have heard since I initially started college. I know of several people who have lost family members or friends to suicide, which is a reason that I want to focus so much of my research on this topic. In fact, some of my own family members have been suicidal.

I did not know the student who died. I did, however, live in the dorms that he lived in when I was a freshman and remember the building well. The idea that I know the building is a little eerie. The other stories that I  have heard about suicide have been coming to mind over the past day or so since I read about this online. I met a girl as a freshman who was struggling with the loss of her best friend, who was also her roommate. She found the girl dead in their dorm room a few years before I met her. I do not know the details, but I remember how horrified I felt knowing that she had been dealt such a painful blow. According to suicide.org, 750,00 individuals attempt suicide each year. That number is staggering. There are around 20,000 students at my university. In order to come close to this number, we would have to find around 38 universities of that size. That number is truly difficult for me to picture.

Also according to suicide.org, suicide is the third leading cause of death in people within the age range of 15-24.  It is saddening to think of the number of young people who are just beginning their lives, young people who should be facing a long future. There is no question that these years are difficult. High school is often full of difficulty and individuals trying to prove themselves while struggling with puberty and all that comes with it. As high school ends, some individuals choose to go into the work force, while others choose to futher their education. Neither is an easy route. These years are full of young people attempting to make something with their lives. Many of them try to settle down in a relationship while balancing school and a job. Some start families. At any rate, many individuals are not settled in an “adult lifestyle” by the time they are 24… or they are possibly just beginning to settle into such a lifestyle. It seems horrifying to think that so many of these people do not have the social support needed in order to get through the difficulties that are certain to exist during this time period.

Depression is stigmatized. Any mental illness is stigmatized in today’s society. People hide their depression, which does not help. In fact, hiding depression does nothing but compound the feelings of sadness and loneliness that exist otherwise.

Though I did not know the freshman that took his life Saturday night, I feel awful for his friends and his family. There are so many people who are effected by one individual. Many people with depression do not see that their lives affect the lives of others. My hope is that someday, the stigma of mental illness will disappear. I hope that, in some way, it will become easier to help suicidal individuals. Maybe suicide will, one day, not be on the list of leading causes of death in any age group.

Sylvia Plath’s son & depression

I remember reading Sylvia Plath in my American Lit class my senior year of high school. My teacher told us the story of Plath and her death. In fact, I did a project on her for the class, dressing up as her and doing a poetry reading. I remember, though, how sad it was to hear about her suicide. Clearly, as one can see from her various writing, she was a distraught young woman who had been through a significant amount of emotional distress in her life. Her life was a long struggle, in her opinion. I find it truly saddening that she felt that she had to kill herself. I wonder if she had known the possibilities of her future, of how well-read she would become, that her name is well-known in today’s society, if she would have still killed herself. Since high school, I have continued to read Plath and find her style quite appealing, personally.

She cut her life extremely short- killing herself at the age of thirty. She likely had years of life ahead of her, years that she probably would have spent writing more incredibly poems and novels for the public to enjoy. Something in her life was too difficult, though, and in 1963, she killed herself. She put her children down for naps and even sealed the doors with cloths to protect her loved ones from the gas that she was going to use to end her own life. In her last moments, she chose to show care and love for her children. She clearly had strong feelings of protectiveness for her children. She opened the oven door and gassed herself to death in the kitchen of her home. It is eerie to think that her young children were only upstairs in the home while their mother died at her own hand. It boggles my mind to think of the reasons that may have led to her early death.

Yesterday, I read that Plath’s son killed himself. He hung himself in his home after a long battle with depression. Reading about his death reminded me of Plath and her struggles. In my psychology courses (I am a dual major), I have done a great deal of studying on the genetic factors in mental disorders. Depression, specifically, runs in families. There is definitely a genetic link to depression, to suicide. I think that knowing about this link is pertinent to a person’s knowledge of his family history. Mental illness is stigmatized, often thought of extremely negatively by society, yet these illnesses exist and are as real as any other disease. I wish that people studied suicide more often, that suicide ATTEMPTS were talked about openly, so that the afflicted might be able to find solace within groups. If a person could openly talk about feelings of suicide with friends, family, it might be easier to feel better about it. People are often open about having physical ailments, but not with mental illness. I do, however, think that it is positive that doctor offices and hospitals inquire about family history of depression among other illnesses. I hope that there is a way to convince people to be open about mental illness with their family members, though, particularly with the genetic link that exists.

live internet-streamed suicide

One of the most appalling things that I came across in my research thus far is the story of a young man, Abraham Biggs, who committed suicide live, while broadcasting himself online. Biggs had a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, which can be tormenting. Some of the articles that I came across said that he hid his disorder when around his friends, coming across as a perfectly happy teenager. He took an overdose of pills while taping himself on a webcam, after announcing that he was going to kill himself. He was a frequent user of the website justin.tv, which I have never come across before, nor have I even heard of, so I am a little unsure of what that website includes. He announced that he was going to kill himself online at 3 am on November 21st, 2008. He kept the camera running for the next twelve hours and people watched without saying anything. His viewers did not believe that he was going to kill himself, because it seems that he had threatened to kill himself before, which happens often with bipolar disorder. Even when he was taking the pills, viewers were skeptical, thinking that he might have just taken vitamins, that it was a joke he played on them. He was, however, taking the pills that he announced that he was going to take. Some reports said that various viewers egged him on, that they told him to do it, to follow through with his suicide, while a few others told him that he should not kill himself. Regardless, though, he did go through with it. Some viewers went so far as to watch as Biggs appeared to fall asleep, joking with one another as they watched. They did not think that he was dying, just that he was sleeping. Eventually, a viewer called the police, twelve hours after Biggs made his inital announcement of his suicide. At that point, he was dead.

Some people interviewed for the articles said that it does not seem overly strange that a young man would kill himself while broadcasting it live for all to see, because young people broadcast everything today- websites like twitter, facebook, and myspace (among countless others) make it incredibly easy to share things like this. I find it horrifying, however, that this man seemed to have reached out for help, announcing that he was going to kill himself, before actually following through with it. Had he truly wanted to die, maybe he would not have actually told people in the way that he did, or broadcasted it live from his webcam. It is difficult for me to understand how numerous people watched such an event without DOING anything about it. Being only a few years older than Biggs was, I understand the social aspect of the internet and how he might have been looking for some friends to help him get help for his inner torments. I have an extensive background in psychology and I know how difficult it is for people with disorders like Biggs had to function daily. There are so many stereotypes in society today that make it even more difficult. Many people are forced to hide their disorder in the way that he did.

But still, how did he get through with his suicide? How was he able to die without help? He should have been helped. One article that I read said that about a half dozen people called police officers by the end, but it took them 25 minutes to arrive at Biggs’s residence after the initial phone call. This whole sequence of events is horrifying to think about. My mind is lead to wonder whether he truly wanted to die, did he EXPECT somebody to attempt to save him, whether being hospitalized would have helped him, how much help a friend could have given, what a person could have done to save him… etc. However, these questions cannot and will not be answered, because he did not live through the event. It sickens me to read that website moderators were contacted, that users said that he threatened before and that he would threaten again, that people just blew this tragedy off when, CLEARLY, if nothing else, he just needed someone to help him. He really needed professional help, and he did not get it. He was a tormented young man.

The fact that this was broadcast on the internet scares me, to a point. Anybody with reasonable searching skills will probably be able to find the stream from Abraham Biggs’s life, if wanted. Personally, I would not want to find this stream. I’m not sure I would want to deal with the emotions that would raise for me. However, this is terrible. It should not have happened. I fear that it will happen again and again. Copy-cat suicides are often popular and frightening. I am honestly suprised that I had not heard of this story before I did.

Truly, this should not have ended the way that it did.

I just hope that this does not lead to other terrible things being posted on the internet. I do think that the internet is a fantastic tool, but this was something terrible made even more horrifying by the internet and by people’s reactions. It has led me to wonder about human nature, about whether individuals really would just let a person die like this. Even if Biggs threatened suicide online before, he needed someone to reach out to him. I wonder why nobody reached out. I wonder why there was not a good samaritan out there on the web to reach out and help him, to talk him through it… to at least make an attempt to help Biggs through his struggle. Who knows, maybe had his medication been shifted, he could have functioned better and led a productive life. He was a young man who should have had many years ahead of him. Unlike many who kill themselves, Biggs actually reached out for help. The sad thing is, nobody reached back. I am not at a point in my life in which I can truly analyze what that means for society. It does, however, seem to mean something. I will continue to hope that this was only a fluke, that this terrifying story will not repeat itself, that the next time someone makes a suicide threat via the internet, someone will reach out to help. We can only learn from this story. I hope that we do.

http://www.dfizzy.com/deathnote.html
http://cbs5.com/national/Abraham.Biggs.suicide.2.871314.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/21/florida-teen-live-streams_n_145499.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhCH9mt0Pow&feature=related

introduction.

This semester in my public discourse class, we have been assigned to research a topic of our choice over the semester. We are to write about the topic in various ways, one way which must be in a public forum. The most obvious of such seems to be a blog. I am familiar with blogging, having kept many up throughout the past ten years of my life. This one, however, has a focus, which might seem dark, possbily depressing. This semester, I am researching suicide. The main thought that I have in my research is a search to find a relationship between the media and suicide as it exists today. At this point in my research, I have found several podcasts, movies, books, etc. that are relevant to my topic. I want to research more on these topics to truly find a relationship between the media and suicide. I feel that there is certainly a possibility that sucide and media have become so interlinked that they effect one another.

Many people discuss the idea that the media has become a dark topic. We know that the news often shows the most shocking and horrible events. Every time that I sign into my Yahoo email, it lists some of the most current news stories- ones that have been deemed important enough for people to read. It seems that short list of articles frequently lists tragedy. Clearly, these articles do not always involve suicide and, sometimes, suicides are pushed under the mat, per se, in respect to the families that have made the losses. However, what about those who are in SUCH trauma that they kill others before they kill themselves. Often, we think of their lives as less important since they took the lives of others, so it is okay to discuss their suicide. For the purposes of my research, though, I hope to delve deeply into the media and come up with times that the media HAS discussed suicide.

In this blog, I will discuss various forms of media that I come across in my life, focusing on suicide. I plan to do more extensive research on the topic, and hope to update this blog regularly, possibly daily, when possible, in order to share my view on the research that i have found. This blog will prove to be a fairly informal manner in which to share thoughts on suicide and the media and the relationship between.