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Papageno and Werther, Two Faces of the Internet Confronting Suicidal Thoughts and Self-harm | technology


A student consults social networks on her mobile phone while reviewing information online.
A student consults social networks on her mobile phone while reviewing information online.Baku Points (Country)

Molly Russell, 14, committed suicide in November 2017 near London. Her father tracked her latest online interactions and found that the teen had viewed, responded to, or shared more than 2,000 posts related to suicidal ideation, self-harm, or depression. The other side of this dramatic reality is offered by Lucy Biddle, professor of mental health at the University of Bristol, after testimony she collected in her research at the Suicide Prevention Forum: “It was exciting because there was a place I could go, no one knew me and I could literally talk and tell people why.” I wanted to die without fear of being locked up or misunderstood.In this case, the internet saved a life.

Online social networking and information is a powerful tool that, according to Jacqui Morrissey, a researcher at Samaritans (an organization that helps people in emotional distress), “can offer really positive opportunities” or become a catalyst for disastrous consequences. They are known as Papageno or Werther effects. The first refers to a personality magic flute Mozart from the suicide of three young geniuses. The opposite effect takes its name from the novel The sorrows of young Werther GoetheAnd The protagonist who kills himself for Lotte’s love. A group of researchers, called by the Media Science Center, agreed on the importance of the influence of the Internet and social networks in dealing with thoughts of self-harm or suicide.

“When we think about social media and mental health, it’s really important that we don’t oversimplify the problem: we know that suicidal behavior is complex and rarely the result of a single factor,” Morrissey warns. But this complexity should not underestimate the impact of networks and Internet content. According to the Samaritans researcher, “Decades of research show the strong connections.” “Young adults are more prone to imitative suicidal behavior and are more vulnerable,” he explains.

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The social capacity of networks can be favorable if they become papaggio geniuses. “They can provide really positive opportunities for people to speak up and access support groups. A person may feel isolated, unable to share what’s going on with their family or friends in person, but can find a community of peers with similar experiences to their own online that they can open up to,” he says. Two out of three people report having experienced self-harm. Online forums and advice have been really helpful,” he explains.

But the Internet can also trigger the Werther effect. “There is a wealth of information and advice online providing access to content that can aggravate situations. Research from the University of Manchester in 2017 found that internet use was linked to suicide in 26% of deaths among people under the age of 20,” Morrissey adds. .

At the click of a button, according to a recent study by The Samaritans and the University of Bristol, you can find guidance, advice and methods for self-harm and “content that depicts suicide with graphic descriptions in a positive or desirable way”, according to the researcher who warns that it is not an exclusive problem for young people: “turning 18 does not It suddenly makes you immune.”

Many people use the online environment to write journals and tell their recovery stories. Listening to their stories can protect.”

Anne John, professor of psychiatry at Swans University

In the face of this network duplication, action is necessary. But for the researcher, “it’s not about closing conversations, but ensuring safe spaces.” To achieve this, Rina Dutta, a psychiatrist at King’s College London, believes there is a need for “a new framework to unlock the potential of social media in youth mental health research” and “robust guidelines for managing that data”. as a clearly defined responsibility for organizations that work with social media platforms.”

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Anne John, Professor of Psychiatry at Swansea University, agrees with the importance of networks as a research tool and for the development of support tools. “Many people use the online environment to write their diaries and tell their stories of recovery. Listening to their stories can protect.

In this sense, the researcher refers directly to the platforms to claim their responsibility in directing search results towards favorable information: “They can use algorithms [las fórmulas automáticas que seleccionan páginas en función de las búsquedas y preferencias del usuario] to attract the most positive content, sources of support, and stories of recovery.” “We’ve seen some social media companies take positive steps in the right direction, but there’s more they can do,” Morrissey adds.

There are times when you go from curiosity to compulsive imagery and interaction with others only to fall into a mousetrap.”

Lucy Biddle, Professor of Mental Health at the University of Bristol

Lucy Biddle, Professor of Mental Health at the University of Bristol, acknowledges the importance of data-driven research, the responsibility of platforms and the importance of stories of personal recovery. However, he warns of an issue that adds complexity to the scenario: “It is not easy to identify harm to Internet content, it is not always obvious. What appears useful, on retrospective analysis, can be understood as something harmful. Contents and motives for accessing them vary from person to person.” to another according to psychological suffering. We must continue our efforts to improve this and learn more about good and bad resources.” “Sometimes you go from curiosity to compulsive viewing and interacting with others only to fall into a mousetrap,” he explains.

Security strategies

In this sense, Biddle highlights the importance of relying on users, both risk liabilities and assets, and complementing actions with security strategies, such as removing apps, silencing terms, or opening new accounts that avoid custom algorithms. We see an ongoing battle to maintain control. Users rarely aspire to leave the online world behind. They know they may get hurt, but they think they are getting enough benefits and can outweigh them or avoid the risks, so they insist on putting themselves in a constant state of vulnerability and interacting with other high-risk users. I think it is necessary to improve skills and train users.”

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He concludes, “It is important that we open the dialogue and allow people to speak up and seek help regarding their lives online without stigmatization, without feeling like they have the wrong behavior that they need to keep secret.”

Sonia Livingstone, professor of social psychology at the London School of Economics and Political Science, insists on this blurred line between curiosity and searching or distraction with plucking in noxious spaces: “They want to find recognition of their own challenges and difficulties and you might find it and inspiring support, which is something Physical social interaction cannot provide it. But the same active searching gaze leads them to dark places.” And within minutes.

In this sense, Livingston recalls how a young man told him that he had discovered suicidal content on a platform and removed it within four hours. “I found it fascinating. I naively thought four hours was too fast a response. I couldn’t imagine how many times the suicide picture was shared, copied, downloaded and viewed before it was removed.”

(The free and permanent telephone number for concern about suicidal behavior in Spain is 024. It is a helpline for people with thoughts, ideas or risks of suicidal behavior and for their relatives and friends. In the event of an imminent vital emergency, you can call the emergency telephone number 112 directly.).

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