Story Suicide Triggers: A Common Misconception

[ShadowOfTheDay]

I just finished watching the 2018 version of "A Star Is Born," with Lady Gaga. It was a terrific movie. My aunt rented the movie, not knowing anything about the plot, but very aware of my past suicide attempts.

Near the end of the film, one of the characters commits suicide. At this point, my aunt abruptly turns off the movie and exclaims, "This is bullshit! I'm so sorry. I didn't know this would happen, or I never would have got this movie."

It seems, from her perspective, that any exposure to suicide or the thought of suicide could be a potential "trigger" for someone with my history.

Granted, some people who die by suicide are influenced by its portrayal in popular culture. But what so many people don't understand is that, for those of us who think about death and dying all the time, the "censorship" of suicide is not at all helpful. Treating suicidal thoughts and behaviours as "aberrations" only serves to make people like us feel more isolated, maladaptive and mentally deranged.

 

[noonetoo]

Like 13 Reasons Why.
All the outrage and criticism, how is the media supposed to raise awareness regarding suicide if the world thinks it's going to trigger too many?
I loved the show. Especially because I could relate to how Hannah felt.
I cried but not at all did I think, "Now I'm going to kill myself for watching this."
It's different for everyone. But if things trigger people, they just shouldn't watch it.

Our traumas, mental illnesses, and whatever may have led us to come onto this site will always be considered Taboo if "a light is never shined onto the topic".

 

[Dead beat dad]

Hey brother, maybe you should edit you post with an IMDB style spoiler alert

We need more candid accurate portrayal of suicide in mainstream media, less taboo more understanding.

Peace
DBD

 

[LivingToLong]

Perhaps it was a 'trigger' for your aunt?

Not that it triggers in her a desire to ctb (though maybe it does, I can't know, few of us can, perhaps only her) but maybe she has lost someone to suicide. Maybe mentions of suicide bring back painful memories for her and she'd rather not be reminded of it. Are you close enough to her to talk about it?

On the broader point, I agree. People/papers/movies/whatever do tend to look for common reasons and understandable answers. They want to be able to categorise and contain the subject. I think it makes it more comfortable for many of us to deal with, we can say "oh, I'm alright, that's not me, I don't fall into that category" Suicide is frightening, most of us here would agree - even for those committed to going through with it. I don't like the trite generalisations either but I think I see WHY they happen.

 

[s_girl]

Those that have never felt suicidal themselves always need to find 'the reason' and something to attribute blame, because they simply cannot understand. Whilst views on self-inflicted harm or death seem to be slowly evolving in some parts of the world, it's just the horrible reality with suicide. Accepting responsibility is too difficult for most people.

One tiny example... https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/nyp...d-blames-instagram-for-daughters-suicide/amp/

"Whether it be a government or a social media giant, the same shoddy principle is the same: others know better than you do, and you should be protected from yourself". Binoy Kampmark 2019

 

[YukiFox]

I think that Werther effect isn't universally. The triggers of every person can be less or more sensitive to suicide scenes or news, but on my case I tried to use them as my moralistic excuse to not doing it. Since I started to enter on this website I don't read any story of sudden suicide attempt yet (If someone does so ,please tell me). So that trigger may vary on every person and I don't think on sudden copycat suicides are frequently.
also is important that suicide it's still a taboo and we have been teaching it as an undesirable act and the society has an "See no suicide, hear no suicide, talk no suicide" policy, that supposedly prevent the successful self deaths.
Speaking for my experience seeing an suicide scene doesn't trigger me. My triggers are lost of meaning of my life, poverty, losing control of my mind (I don't want to self diagnosing me what mental issues I have but I'm losing control over my mind because of two female spirits I'm channeling it), anger and hopelessness. So that grandmother attitude is understandable, because she was raised on a taboo culture about death and thinking only on prevention policy.