"No one knows for certain how much impact they have on the lives of other people."
-Jay Asher
On March 31 of this year, Netflix released the series 13 Reasons Why. For anyone who has not heard of the show, let me fill you in. 13 Reasons Why follows the story of high school student Hannah Baker and why she took her own life. Hannah creates 7 double sided cassette tapes with 13 explanations as to why she did what she did. The tapes are passed along to the individuals who are in some way, shape or form, one of the reasons.
Since the release of the show, it has received an immense amount of both negative and positive feedback. The entire theme of the show surrounds suicide, which is a topic people tend to shy away from. Suicide is not an easy topic to speak about, but it needs to be spoken about.
The main concern people are having with this series is that it "glamorizes" suicide. After her death, Hannah becomes more popular and more spoken about around the school. People begin to care for her after her death more than when she was alive. Another concern of the show airing is the affect it may have on people who already suffer from depression and suicidal thoughts. The show features extremely graphic scenes, especially when it comes to Hannah's death, and this could trigger negativity for someone who struggles with mental health already.
There is a bigger picture to this series that is simply being missed. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth, yet it remains a "too touchy" subject. The reality is that suicide is a problem, and 13 Reasons Why is addressing that problem. It is bringing it to the table to help people feel more comfortable about speaking of suicide. Most importantly, it makes you recognize potential signs of someone who may be suicidal, but is too afraid or embarrassed to come forward.
13 Reasons Why brings the conversation of youth suicide and depression to the table. This is a problem that needs to be addressed and this series is the first step.
The main concern people are having with this series is that it "glamorizes" suicide. After her death, Hannah becomes more popular and more spoken about around the school. People begin to care for her after her death more than when she was alive. Another concern of the show airing is the affect it may have on people who already suffer from depression and suicidal thoughts. The show features extremely graphic scenes, especially when it comes to Hannah's death, and this could trigger negativity for someone who struggles with mental health already.
There is a bigger picture to this series that is simply being missed. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth, yet it remains a "too touchy" subject. The reality is that suicide is a problem, and 13 Reasons Why is addressing that problem. It is bringing it to the table to help people feel more comfortable about speaking of suicide. Most importantly, it makes you recognize potential signs of someone who may be suicidal, but is too afraid or embarrassed to come forward.
13 Reasons Why brings the conversation of youth suicide and depression to the table. This is a problem that needs to be addressed and this series is the first step.
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