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The Aftermath of a Suicide: Social Media Exposure and Implications for Postvention

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Abstract

There is an urgent need to understand the effects of social media and related practices in the aftermath of a suicide. News of a death by suicide can explode like a bomb on social media, the impact of which can be felt around the world. Emerging research has shown that activity very often prompts multiple users to respond, rapidly sharing posts and ruminating publicly about the nature and reasons for the death. Knowledge about the role of online communication in the aftermath of a suicide is extremely limited, as is the impact of exposure in this way. Very little is known about the experiences and needs of those who engage in social media practices in the aftermath of a suicide: who engages in these practices; when do they emerge; how do they evolve over time; what is the impact on the immediate and wider community of users; and implications for prevention and postvention.

In this chapter we draw upon existing and emerging literature to highlight how social media practices following a suicide loss increase exposure to suicide and have the potential to increase the risk of contagion. We reflect upon (a) the need for guidelines on safe reporting to be updated to account for the globalization of new media technologies, (b) the implications for postvention, and (c) the need for a new model for understanding the transmission of suicidal behavior via media exposure.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Hull, Hull, UK

    Jo Bell

  2. Faculty of Arts, Cultures and Education, University of Hull, Hull, UK

    Chris Westoby

Authors
  1. Jo Bell
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  2. Chris Westoby
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Correspondence to Jo Bell .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Suicide Prevention Center, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy

    Maurizio Pompili

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Bell, J., Westoby, C. (2022). The Aftermath of a Suicide: Social Media Exposure and Implications for Postvention. In: Pompili, M. (eds) Suicide Risk Assessment and Prevention. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42003-1_32

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