‘Suicide contagion’: Study says teens are more likely to have suicidal thoughts after death of a friend

Suicide can be ‘contagious’ – especially  among young people, according to a new study.

Researchers found teenagers exposed to a  school friend’s death by suicide are much more likely to consider or attempt  taking their own life.

The findings of the study support the idea of  ‘suicide contagion’ – the concept that exposure to suicide can create suicidal  thoughts or actions – especially among 12 and 13-year-olds.

Teenagers exposed to suicide in the peer groups up to five times more likely to consider taking their own lives according to a new study (posed by model)Teenagers exposed to a friend’s suicide are up to five  times more likely to consider taking their own lives, according to a new study  (posed by model)

The researchers also discovered the contagion  effect can last two years or even longer.

Senior author Doctor Ian Colman, Canada  Research Chair in Mental Health Epidemiology and Assistant Professor of the  University of Ottawa, said: ‘We found that exposure to suicide predicts  suicidality.

‘This was true for all age groups, although  exposure to suicide increased the risk most dramatically in the youngest age  group, when baseline suicidality was relatively low.’

The researchers looked at data from 22,064  Canadian children aged 12 to 17. They found that the suicide of a school friend  magnifies the risk of suicidality for a young person, regardless of whether the  young person personally knew the deceased.

The risk was particularly strong among 12 to  13-year-olds, who were five times more likely to have suicidal thoughts after  exposure to a school friend’s suicide (15 per cent) than those who had had no  exposure (three per cent).

In this age group, 7.5 per cent attempted  suicide after a friend’s suicide compared, with 1.7 per cent without  exposure.

Dr Colman said: ‘Suicidality is of utmost  public health concern, both as a predictor of suicide and because of its own  burden on individuals and society.’

The apparent ‘suicide contagion’ effect was  less pronounced in older children, although 14 and 15-year-olds exposed to  suicide were still almost three times more likely to have suicidal thoughts, and  16 to 17-year-olds were twice as likely.

Dr Colman said: ‘Perhaps any exposure to a  peer’s suicide is relevant, regardless of the proximity to the decedent.

‘It may be best for postvention strategies to  include all students rather than target close friends.’

By ages 16 and 17, 24 per cent of teens had a  schoolmate die by suicide, and 20 per cent personally knew someone who died by  suicide.

The study found 24 per cent of teens aged 16 and 17 knew of someone at school who had committed suicide and 20 per cent personally knew someone who died by suicide (posed by models)The study found 24 per cent of teens aged 16 and 17 knew  of someone at school who had committed suicide and 20 per cent personally knew  someone who died by suicide (posed by models)

Dr Colman said: ‘Given that such  exposure is  not rare, and appears to be strongly related to suicidality  outcomes, further  understanding of this association has the potential to help in the prevention of  a substantial proportion of adolescent  suicidal behaviours.’

The  researchers conclude that broader, longer-lasting strategies are required.

Dr Colman added: ‘Our findings support school  or community-wide interventions over strategies targeting those who personally  knew the decedent, suggests that allocating resources following an event may be  especially important during earlier adolescence, and implies that schools and  communities should be aware of an increased risk for at least two years  following a suicide event.’

Commenting on the findings published in the  Canadian Medical Association Journal, Doctor India Bohanna, of James Cook  University in Australia, said: ‘This study provides convincing evidence that,  among young people, exposure to suicide is a risk factor for future suicidal  behaviour.

‘This is extremely important because it tells  us that everyone who is exposed to suicide should be considered when postvention  strategies are developed.

‘The idea that suicide is contagious has  always been controversial for various reasons; however, this important study  should put many, if not all, doubts to rest.

‘A unified and concerted effort now needs to  be directed toward developing evidence-based postvention strategies. We need to  know what works in mitigating the risk of contagion and why.’

Read more: DailyMail  

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