'13 Reasons Why' criticized for messaging on teen suicide

A Netflix series centering on the suicide of a teen girl after a series of failures in her life has mental health advocates raising concerns over the message conveyed.

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The Distress Centre run by the Downtown Mission of Windsor often receives calls from young people considering suicide or self-harm. CEO Ron Dunnsays he isn'tspecifically against 13 Reasons Why, but is concerned about how the series' narrative is framed.

Series presents suicideas "fun" not "tragic"

In13 Reasons Whycentral character Hannah Baker, played by actress Katherine Langford, kills herself after a series of traumas in her life and then leaves audio tapes of herself behind for her friends to listen to through the course of the series.

"Hannah narrates her own series after her death. Which kind of makes it seem like it's a lot of fun, and suicide is nothing short of just tragic," said Dunn.

Educators and mental health professionals have expressed concernthe program could glorify suicide if taken out of context.

"Hollywood sensationalizes things sometimes. We're not coming out necessarily against the series. It is starting a conversation... and that's not a bad thing," said Dunn. "But we need parents to talk to their teens and their twenty-somethings about the fact that it's fictional and there's other options."

Important to talk about suicide

Mental health professionals have said that just watching a series about suicide isn't inherently dangerous, but it needs to be combined with open and honest conversation.

"If it's not where you're at, it's not where you're at. So I don't think it's going to push somebody over the edge," added Dunn. "Your kids are watching these things. Pretending that they're not isn't the answer...talking about suicide is okay."

Downtown Mission CEO Ron Dunn on suicide in '13 Reasons Why'

7 years ago

Duration 6:45

Mental health advocates are criticizing the portrayal of suicide in Netflix series 13 Reasons Why