Preparing for a Sequel: ‘13 Reasons Why’ and Suicide Contagion

“My friends esteem me; I often contribute to their happiness, and my heart seems as if it could not beat without them; and yet—if I were to die, if I were to be summoned from the midst of this circle, would they feel—or how long would they feel—the void which my loss would make in their existence?” —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, The Sorrows of Young Werther, 1774.

The Sorrows of Young Werther, an 18th century novel by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, describes the story of a young man, Werther, who falls in love with a woman named Charlotte. Charlotte, engaged to a man 11 years older than Werther, finds herself attempting to reconcile a friendship with Werther in addition to her new marriage. Werther becomes tortured by the marriage, and his desire for Charlotte overwhelms his ability to cope with a life without her. He dies by shooting himself with a pistol, which he borrows from Charlotte’s husband.

After publication of Goethe’s novel, “Werther Fever” spread across Europe. Young men, rejected by women whom they love, were dying by suicide at alarming rates. They were found wearing the same characteristic yellow trousers and blue tailcoat as Werther, using a similar pistol, and discovered with a copy of The Sorrows of Young Werther at their side.

Young Werther’s story and its effects across Europe have been described as the “media’s first moral panic.” The book was banned in Denmark, Germany, and Italy, and Werther’s characteristic outfit was outlawed as well. The consequence of Goethe’s novel was one of the first recorded incidents of suicide contagion, where exposure to suicide from family, friends, or media can influence vulnerable populations to attempt suicide. Suicide contagion is rooted in the idea that increased suicide exposure can lead some to view it as permissive, increasing suicide attempts and fatalities in temporo-spatial clusters.

In March 2017, the release of “13 Reasons Why,” a Netflix drama series depicting the fictional suicide of 17-year-old Hannah Baker, had a ripple effect across the mental health community and throughout the country. Prior to her death, Hannah audiotapes herself describing 13 specific people whose actions led to her suicide, proving her suicide as a viable and vengeful conclusion to their mistreatment.

“13 Reasons Why” was one of the most popular series on Netflix in 2017 and perhaps the most widely discussed television shows last year, as it was the most tweeted-about show of 2017. However, the notoriety of the show went beyond Twitter, Netflix, and other forms of media. The series left a grim trail of potential copycat suicides, and within three weeks of its release, Google searches for “how to commit suicide” and “how to kill yourself” increased 26 percent and 9 percent, respectively, according to a report published July 31 in JAMA Internal Medicine. Although unable to determine whether these internet queries preceded suicide attempts, studies in the past have pointed to a potential connection of increased rates of suicide and internet search trends.

One of the major criticisms of the series was its depiction of suicide, especially to the vulnerable and impressionable young audience who accounted for a significant portion of the show’s viewership. The protracted and graphic scene of a 17-year-old girl slashing her wrists in a bathtub was the focus of the penultimate episode. It was viewed by millions, including adolescents aged 15 to 19 years old, who are two to four times more likely to die by suicide as a result of social contagion.

As it is estimated that up to 13 percent of teen suicides are attributed to the pattern of contagion, the need for responsible media production and coverage of mental health issues is greater than ever. The rate of suicide-related deaths of 10- to 14-year-old girls tripled over the last 15 years, and young teenagers are more impressionable than ever. The Netflix storyline legitimizing the graphic suicide of a 17-year-old girl as a vindictive fantasy went beyond being sensational or provocative—it was irresponsible.

The second season of “13 Reasons Why” has completed filming, and there is an expected release date later this year. With the implications of the first season clearly identified, we can only hope Netflix and the producers of the second season use their platform to make a positive impact on those suffering from mental health conditions. Suicide contagion is real, and with the rate of suicide in the United States at a 30-year high, we should protect a vulnerable and impressionable group of young people through responsible media production and use this sequel to continue to engage in healthy discussion of mental health issues. ■