Sharing content on suicides through social networks or information platforms, without due attention and care, can lead to the phenomenon of “imitation” increasing the numbers in Yucatán.
Mérida, Yucatán, (September 27, 2021).- Gaspar Baquedano López, director of the School of Consciousness (Eco) and coordinator, of the Comprehensive Suicide Attention Program (PIAS) of the Yucatan Psychiatric Hospital, regrets that in the last week there was practically one daily suicide in the state.
“One of the aspects that I think is playing a very important role is a well-studied issue: imitation.”
When several suicides occur in a certain place, he explains, it is to be expected that more will come because the phenomenon of imitation begins; For which, the media are responsible for the way in which the problem is presented, as well as the dissemination of this type of content on social networks.
He points out that the subject should not be exhibited in a dramatic way or by attributing adjectives such as “brave” or “cowardly”, as they harm causing more attempts or completed suicides.
On the same subject, he finds that at this time Yucatan is being the victim of some videos that were released by the police itself, where a person is seen who would carry out the action from a bridge, he points out that after these videos he has noticed an increase. “It is doing a kind of promotion to suicide.”
In suicide, he emphasizes, there are two factors: personal predisposition and the factors that are around, for that reason, he asks that the dissemination of photographs, offenses or accusations, or any type of yellowing be avoided, by any means (social networks or other ).
Although he also finds the pandemic as a factor, since from his consultation he observes that people are experiencing extreme anxiety and/or depression for fear of contagion, “we all have normal precautions, but these people due to their personality more easily get hooked on a picture of anxiety and depression”.
“What we are experiencing is multifactorial, we cannot attribute it to a single factor.”
With this, he points out that economic problems are also influencing to a great extent due to the lack of jobs, “going back to school has been an important factor because it confronts us with the reality that there is no money.”
Asking for help is essential, from the first thought about suicide, call family members to come for support as soon as they identify any sign that a person is considering suicide in order to avoid it.
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