News
The Douglas Institute endorses Media Guidelines for Reporting Suicide
2009-04-03
The recent family tragedies that occurred in the province since the beginning of the year are disturbing. The Douglas Institute believes that although it is important to discuss these events, reporting must be done with caution in order to avoid added distress and increased risk of imitations. It is a responsibility shared by the media, health professionals and the public in general.
The Canadian Psychiatric Association has looked into what research can teach us about the impact of media reporting of tragic events and suicide, and endorses the guidelines developed by the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States.
Whether you are a journalist, a health professional or a member of the general public, I invite you to consult these guidelines in order to become better equipped to inform or get informed about suicide-related events, thus contributing to a better mental health environment for all.
Mimi Israël, MD
Psychiatrist-in-Chief,
Douglas Institute
Trying to prevent copycats
There is a significant evidence-base demonstrating that media reporting of suicides is linked to copycat suicides among youth and young adults under 24 years of age.
Reporting with caution
There is evidence in the literature that implementation of guidelines for media reporting of suicide actually decreases the rate of copycat suicides and the incidence of suicide. Although guidelines exist, research indicates many journalists are unaware of the impact of reporting suicide with regard to copycat suicides and are often unacquainted with the guidelines.
The Canadian Psychiatric Association has looked into what research can teach us about the impact of media reporting of tragic events and suicide, and endorses the guidelines developed by the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States.
Whether you are a journalist, a health professional or a member of the general public, I invite you to consult these guidelines in order to become better equipped to inform or get informed about suicide-related events, thus contributing to a better mental health environment for all.
Mimi Israël, MD
Psychiatrist-in-Chief,
Douglas Institute
Trying to prevent copycats
There is a significant evidence-base demonstrating that media reporting of suicides is linked to copycat suicides among youth and young adults under 24 years of age.
Reporting with caution
There is evidence in the literature that implementation of guidelines for media reporting of suicide actually decreases the rate of copycat suicides and the incidence of suicide. Although guidelines exist, research indicates many journalists are unaware of the impact of reporting suicide with regard to copycat suicides and are often unacquainted with the guidelines.
