Knowing someone who attempted suicide raises young people’s own risk – new study
Having larger in-person networks appeared to protect young people against developing severe depression symptoms. But large online networks had the opposite effect.
A new study of over 2,000 young people has revealed that being exposed to a peer's suicide attempt increases their own risk of developing suicidal thoughts and behaviors. This "suicide contagion" effect is particularly strong during adolescence and young adulthood, a time when peer relationships play a significant role in young people's lives.
The study, published today by a US research group, builds upon previous research indicating that suicide can be contagious among young people. However, it has been unclear precisely how this works. The study's findings support existing research, confirming that exposure to a peer's suicide attempt does indeed raise the risk of suicide attempts and depression among the exposed individuals.
Interestingly, larger in-person social networks seemed to offer some protective effect against severe depression after exposure, while larger online networks increased the risk. These results emphasize the importance of supporting the wider social network of a young person who has attempted suicide, not just the immediate individual, in preventing future suicide attempts.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
