Suicide contagion

[deadbidaylight]

It's been proven that suicide contagion is a real thing. I'm wondering what your thoughts are on the topic and whether or not this is something you've experienced in real life scenarios? Has anyone you've know CTB and made you feel like you should too?

Do you think that being a member on this site is contributing to suicide contagion for you? I know all of us are here because it's something we've contemplated or even planned for some time. Do you think seeing other members on here follow through with their plan make you more eager to follow suit?

 

[amomentspeace]

I felt something similar, it was more like death contagion. When someone close to me died (not suicide) it was the first time I thought about ctb, to see that person again (I was a kid raised in a religious house so I thought i'd meet them in heaven). Ever since then no one that I knew ctb (i didnt make many connections throughout my life) and now I have more reasons to want to ctb. I saw your follow-up post about celebrity suicides.

 

[blackIronPrison]

Why couldn't it be a result of suicidal people seeking out others who also are suicidal, giving off the appearance that it's spreading? Idk Ig im just not super ok with describing suicidal people with language that may imply it's a disease. Not to say mental illness isn't real but in my opinion suicide isn't necessarily just what happens when you're too sick.

I personally have not been super influenced by this site or others, I sought out this site because I was sick of how irl conversations about suicide go.

 

[deadbidaylight]

I never implied that it was a disease. I also never said that suicide is "spreading." I simply asked a few questions based on a proven theory that is a real thing. I'm sorry you don't like it.

"Suicide contagion is a process in which the suicide of one person or multiple people can contribute to a rise in suicidal behaviors among others, especially those who already have suicidal thoughts or a known risk factor for suicide."-CNN

Here's a link to the phenomenon I'm speaking about, in case you're unaware of what the term means.

The risk of ‘contagion’ after suicides is real | CNN

Suicide contagion is a process in which the suicide of one person or multiple people can contribute to a rise in suicidal behaviors among others, especially those who already have suicidal thoughts or a known risk factor for suicide. Learn more.

amp.cnn.com

 

[Forever Sleep]

I can understand how it could happen. Especially if it's a suicide within the family. Partly I imagine because they are grieving for that person.

I wonder if the person in question really was that ok to begin with though. How many people go from being ok to being suicidal just because they experienced a loss? Perhaps if they were very close. Still, isn't it more likely they at least felt suicidal from time to time and knowing someone who did it simply legitimizes the action?

I don't think it affects me though. I've had ideation since I was 10 but there have always been things I've held off for- my Dad is the last one. This place if anything else is helping me to hold on while I wait. Ironic really.

 

[Kali_Yuga13]

"Suicide contagion is a process in which the suicide of one person or multiple people can contribute to a rise in suicidal behaviors among others, especially those who already have suicidal thoughts or a known risk factor for suicide."-CNN

There's evidence that suicide can act as a social contagion. Not only the act but the method. It might have something to do with it being de-abstracted when there's a real example. Maybe it tips the scale from passive ideation to "well that person did it, maybe it's not so hard". Sometimes the goodbye threads have that effect on me but they also reassure me there's a way out.

 

[grapevoid]

No, suicide around me has the opposite effect on me. It's much easier for me to feel empathy for other people. When I see people in the community ctb and the pain their family experiences, it makes me feel less like doing it myself- I think seeing others suffer removes me for a short time from my self centered universe where I can only focus on my own pain and I recognize the pain it causes others, too.

This site has never made me more suicidal, if anything it makes me less suicidal. The only thing this site has done for me in terms of my suicidal tendencies is give me more options and information on methods. But had I not been here, I'd still find a way to follow through with it, maybe just not as informed and peacefully.

 

[wiggy]

Although suicide contagion appears to be a real phenomenon, I suspect the actual scale at which it happens is severely exaggerated, propped up by specious correlation and the fact society in general seems to have a strong response to suicide.
As for this website, there are a number of mechanisms by which it facilitates the access to suicide, the biggest of which I would say is practical information. I'm sure that a lot of people obtain validation that they would otherwise not have gotten, which can also be a significant contributing factor. However, if someone found their way here it's likely the notion of suicide was already fairly mature for them, so I don't think it would be fair to disregard their own agency.
Speaking for myself, I can't say I feel positively influenced to commit suicide by talking to other people. My feelings tend to be that while my own motives are fair and well considered, the motives of others are usually rash and foolish. Obviously I realize this isn't actually the case and that I would feel differently if I was actually in their shoes, but very rarely do I feel encouraged by other people's suicidal ideations.

 

[ForeverCaHa]

In my own case, the suicide of my partner has triggered very strong suicidal thoughts. I don't think I'd categorise this as 'suicide contagion' though, since I already dealt with depression and suicidal ideation since long before I even met him. This incident just exacerbated an already present problem.

I'm from Wales, though, so the Bridgend Suicides is something that a lot of people are aware of. I'm pretty sure it's one of the most infamous cases of suicide contagion, if not the most. I don't really know much about the case itself though.