Research Articles
Excerpts: “Media portrayals should avoid oversimplifying the many factors that cause the suicide, and not sensationalize the suicide, glorify the victim, or make suicide appear to be a rewarding experience or an appropriate or effective tool to achieve personal gain. Other guidelines suggest that the media not depict the method of the suicide.”
“Glorifying or Romanticizing Suicide or Persons Who Commit Suicide: Reports of community expressions of grief (e.g., public eulogies, flying flags at half-mast, and erecting permanent public memorials) should not be overemphasized. Such actions may contribute to suicide contagion by suggesting to susceptible persons that society is honoring the suicidal behavior of the deceased person, rather than mourning the person’s death.”
Excerpt: “What is an appropriate memorial to a suicide victim? The most appropriate memorial is a living one such as a scholarship fund or contributions to support suicide prevention. The American Association of Suicidology cautions that permanent markers or memorials such as plaques or trees planted in memory of the deceased dramatize and glorify their actions.”
Excerpt: "There have been several cases where dedicating public memorials after a suicide has facilitated the suicidal acts of others, usually youth (CDC 1988). Consequently, dedicating memorials in public settings, such as park benches, flag poles, or trophy cases, soon after the suicide is discouraged."
Excerpt: “Empathy for family and friends often leads to a focus on reporting the positive aspects of a suicide completer's life. For example, friends or teachers may be quoted as saying the deceased person "was a great kid" or "had a bright future," and they avoid mentioning the troubles and problems that the deceased person experienced. As a result, statements venerating the deceased person are often reported in the news. However, if the suicide completer's problems are not acknowledged in the presence of these laudatory statements, suicidal behaviour may appear attractive to other at-risk persons -- especially those who rarely receive positive reinforcement for desirable behaviours.”
Excerpt: “The copycat effect is what happens when the media makes an event into a "hot death story" and then via behaviour contagion, more deaths, suicides and murders occur in a regularly predictive cycle, as per the book the copycat effect (Paraview Pocket - Simon and Schuster).”
Excerpts: "D.P. Phillips, the American sociologist, had already shown in the 1970s that sensationalism in a newspaper could increase the risk of suicides in the paper's catchment area (Phillips 1974). Later he and his collaborators documented a similar increase in suicides among young people after sensational stories on TV (Phillips and Carstensen 1986). This is a difficult and complex research field where the findings are often controversial. However, the findings have been supported by later independent studies which, while varying as to method, localization and the selection of variables, find similar support of the contagion hypothesis."
"Findings from recent research show that 1% to 5% of suicides among young persons could be explained as pure contagion, i.e. they would not have happened if the persons in question had not been exposed to an contagious situation."
"It is vital to avoid romanticizing. Showing respect for the deceased while at the same time avoiding hero worship and romanticizing of the suicide and its cause may occasionally be a difficult balancing act. It may be useful to bear in mind the importance of distinguishing between the act and the person."
Excerpt: "A soldier may observe a suicide first-hand or find out about a suicide in the media. To prevent suicide contagion, leaders and chaplains should use care to avoid either condemning or idealizing an act of suicide at soliders' memorial ceremonies and be sure that all remarks are balanced and include the tragedy of not seeking help. Some units have modified the standard ceremonies for suicides (such as limiting attendance).
Excerpt: "Often, a simple explanation of the concept of contagion can positively alter the direction of a memorial request. For example, in one school a group of students wanted the yearbook to include a collage of photographs of the deceased with the quotation, “Friends are Forever.” After discussion with their yearbook advisor about contagion issues, the students changed the collage to include their own pictures, as well as the deceased, and amended it to read, “Friends Can be Bridges Over Troubled Waters.” This second version reflected both a focus on the living and the proactive way peers can help each other during difficult times."
Comments from Visitors:
"I totally agree that permanent memorials are a bad idea. I belong to a PoS group, which is run by a lady who seems determined to erect a permanent memorial wall. Although it will be erected on private property, it is still open to the public and it is already being widely publicised. I will certainly not be adding my daughter's details to the wall. I feel unable to voice my personal opinions though, because it seems as though anyone who disagrees with the idea is attacked and thrown out of the group. I stay within the group in order to interact with other parents who have lost a child to suicide, but am seriously considering leaving. The owner doesn't seem concerned about valid studies and professional views on the topic. I cannot condone anything that might cause others to take their own lives. It really defeats the object."
Anonymous, US
"After reading about the possibility of a contagion effect that could be caused by memorials and other types of glorification & sensationalizing, I really do not want my child on the wall that is being built. I belong to a group that is offering tiles for sale of those we have lost. These tiles are being placed on a wall. I do not want to be a party to another person dying by suicide. According to all that I have read above, it is a good possibility that another vulnerable person could die at the wall or after visiting it. While remembering my child is important and therapeutic for me, I will not put my wants and needs ahead of the life of another person. I will not allow another family to suffer the pain that I have just because I feel the need to memorialize my child. There are many other and better ways to remember my child. A memorial wall does not really honor my child. What it actually does is fulfills my needs. I think that I can find a safer way to satisfy my desire (website, balloon release, a note in the local classifieds, a garden, random acts of kindness, a scrapbook and etc...).
I think that a responsible person would forgo actual, physical memorial walls dedicated to suicide so as not to be a party to a possible cause or influence of yet another suicide.
A responsible person should/would try to follow the guidelines and recommendations of the professionals who have studied suicide and the cause of suicide for years. They would not put out such warnings if they did not believe them to be true and are in the best interest of everyone involved."
Roberta, US
"I was sent an invitation to have my child memorialized on a "suicide wall". I could not believe what was written. I am enclosing excerpts of the original note and in bold are my thoughts on each excerpt."
"Dear Friends,
I've found out about two memorial walls for people who have died by suicide where the cost of remembering someone is a donation of $1000. Those walls are put up mostly as fund-raisers."
"Why there is any "memorial wall" of any kind I have no idea. Then to charge those who have lost someone they love $1000 is totally obscene. It looks to be a money making scheme created off of vulnerable people and their losses."
"The new International Suicide Memorial Wall we are putting up in Columbia, Tennessee, is NOT a fund-raiser. It's sole purpose is to honor the names of those who died by suicide, and to offer a way to help those left behind know that their loved ones will not be forgotten."
"The wall in this email is "NOT a fund-raiser". So, who is profiting from it? No where in this email did it say that the organization involved is a for profit business, tax exempt business or if it is simply a single person lining their own pockets. It appears that the latter is true from the way it is written.
The purpose is to "honor the names". I think the people behind this wall need a reality check. My child was not just a name. My child was a living, breathing being! I loved my child - not their name.
And "to help those left behind know that their loved ones will not be forgotten", now that is interesting. If all they are honoring is someone's name as it said in the previous sentence, they will only be remembering names. My child lived a life full of many wonderful events and my child was a beautiful soul. They aren't going to remember that, by the way I read this. Actually, the only person that could remember my child correctly and appropriately is me and my family."
"What's shameful about this wall is that compared to the other walls, it's so INEXPENSIVE!!!"
"Now this is an incredibly stupid statement. If this wall was going up to honor our loved one's, it should be free. We have paid for funerals and other expenses in regards to those we have lost. Isn’t that enough?"
Then, the audacity to compare walls. That is unbelievable.
No physical wall should be erected from what I have read. The information released by major organizations in the field of suicide and the information on this site state that such memorials are not a good idea and could lead others to take their life."
"I wonder if that makes people think it's not worth doing, since it cost so little to put a memorial tile on."
"I would imagine that many people are more responsible and know that this is not something that should be done. The writer of this invitation obviously does not care what the mental health community has said about this kind of thing. I feel they are in this for their own glory or why would there seem to be such a push to buy a "memorial" in this email?"
"Would people like the idea better if they had to pay $100 for a memorial tile, I wonder???"
"It appears that the writer is begging people to do this. It's a bad idea, get the hint!
For those that are smart enough to heed the warnings by the mental health community, I applaud you for using good common sense regarding this horrible idea!"
"In any case, we are NOT going to change the price any time soon, because having this special wall is so important to many of us."
"What does this statement mean? The price of honoring a name may go up in the future?"
"If you can talk yourself into spending a mere $5 to order a memorial tile for the wall, go to the address below and follow the directions."
"Once again, this sounds like a beggar. Does the writer need some fast cash for a personal need or what? It would be nice to see an accounting of the money that the writer has taken in and the expenses of this project. In fact, the writer has sold many other items before this. It would be nice to do a complete audit so everyone could see the truth behind all of this.
I wonder if taxes have been paid on the money taken in?"
"(Oh, this tile will also include a photo of the person. There are NO walls around that include photos, as far as I know, not even the very expensive ones.)"
"This statement is bragging about pictures. I would think that adding pictures would only allow a viewer another way to relate to the one who died. It appears that the writer wants those who visit to relate to the death as much as possible. From what I have read, it is the process of relating to the death, even if the visitor did not know the person who died, that could lead to copy cat suicides."
"You are welcome to spread the word to anyone else who may be interested. This is not just for POS and FFOS."
"'Spread the word', how far will these people go to publicize this wall? Once again, the information provided by the mental health community states that things like this should not be publicized."
"(Also, even though the International Suicide Memorial Wall is at our home in Columbia, Tenneesee, it is not MY wall. It belongs to everyone who puts a memorial tile on it. Please consider it OUR wall.)"
"This paragraph states that the wall is "OUR" wall. So then, what happens to it if the person who owns the property this wall sits on should pass away? Where will it be then?
More importantly: I would be afraid to have my name associated with that wall. After all, if someone dies while visiting it or it can be proven that someone died after visiting it, everyone who owns in on it would be legally liable if a lawsuit should be filed in relationship to the death.
No thank you, I have enough bills without worrying about paying any part of a huge court settlement!
Furthermore:
The writer of this email has not thought out all of the possibilities and is showing a complete lack of concern for survivors. Why would anyone want to put us at a risk of legal problem? We have enough to contend with in dealing with our grief and daily life.
It appears that all of this is being done for the glorification of the person creating it. There would not be so much begging in the email if that were not true.
My child will not appear on any wall. My child was more than a picture, name and dates. My child deserves to be remembered in a way that could not harm others. My child would never harm or cause a potential health risk in life and I am sure my child would not appreciate such a thing after death."
Amelia, US
"The owner of this proposed wall has been getting her sidekicks to send vicious and threatening emails to some of those who oppose the wall. How does this help survivors of suicide I wonder? It sounds as though there is some ulterior motive in establishing this wall e.g. glorification for the owner rather than a genuine desire to help people. I have been copied on some of these malicious emails, which of course have been kept as evidence should the recipients decide to seek legal action.
I used to belong to the PoS group of this person, but left after realising that I was unable to post my true feelings or dare to mention any other useful resources, lest they be regarded as "competition" by the owner of the PoS group. Helping survivors is not supposed to be a business, money-making venture or competition. There are never enough resources for survivors of suicide. The more the better. Frankly, I have found far more support in other groups who have welcomed me with open arms. This website is one of the best that I have come across since losing my beloved daughter to suicide in 2001. Well done and keep up the great work!"
AT, US
