The Irresponsibility of Media Coverage and Suicide Martyrdom

October 7, 1:23 PMMental Health Issues ExaminerEthan Elgin

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Media Coverage a Suicide Risk Factor

As the economic downturn deepens, so too does the press coverage of suicide. Though it is not for the reasons one would hope for.

Take the story of Addie Polk for example: the 90 year old woman who, this past weekend, shot herself twice in the chest because her home was being foreclosed on. While Ms. Polk did not die, and it appears she will pull through, the major news companies only focus on this story was how it pertained to the economy.  

Or last night as well, the story of a man who took his whole family, his wife and children ages 7, 12 and 19 before taking his own life because the middle age white collar worker had lost his job.

There was no mention of seeking help or counseling if you, the reader this is aimed at, or perhaps a deeper determinate of what could have been at play in these horrific and tragic incidents. To the lay reader, they see these stories and watch these unfortunate events unfold, as if the center protagonist of the article is little more than a tragic incident and a martyr.

It is a sad state of affairs when these people’s lives, and sometimes their deaths are used to illustrate points and garner the sympathy ratings on news broadcasts. Indeed, suicide is a very real thing, and studies have shown increases in suicide rates and job loss historically. However, responsible journalism should demand that these issues be raised with a more sensitive and less glamorized reporting that focuses just as greatly on treatment and help as well as it does for the story.

A number of reports have determined that press coverage of suicide is indeed a risk factor in world wide suicide rates and what is called “copycat” suicides. As I have reported at various times in other articles, there are so few available outlets for help as it is, when it is compounded by hard financial times, the responsibility of the major news outlets should not be to glamorize or martyr these incidents, but instead use them to illustrate a far broader crisis that plagues this country in both the “good times” and the bad.

For more information call your local crisis line or visit your local ER. The following websites are also available for help:

Warning Signs of Depression, Suicide Helpline, Prevention, Awareness and Support.