Thanks for the nomination

On the subject of suicide and social media campaigns

Suicide is an important public health problem. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the rate of deaths registered as suicide. While the exact reasons for this are unknown, the data seems to suggest that this was largely driven by an increase among men, who continue to be most at risk of killing themselves. For instance, three quarters of suicides are among men and it remains the most common cause of death for men aged 20-49 in the UK.

Suicide risk involves contributions from biological, psychological, social and environmental factors. Sharing a picture of yourself on Facebook with a copy-and-pasted description about vague notions of positivity from a half-baked social media campaign doesn’t reduce someone’s risk of suicide in any meaningful way, even if it does arguably raise awareness. At best, it improves the accuracy of Facebook’s facial recognition algorithm. At worst, it fosters a feeling of disappointment and rejection in those whose posts didn’t receive more attention.

Maybe what we need is fewer of these empty gestures and a more open conversation about suicide. Many of us find it easier to engage with social media campaigns that garner attention and ‘likes’ instead of reaching out and supporting our friends. So, I suggest that if you bothered to read this, you call one of your male friends and ask them how they are doing. Share a difficult experience you’ve been through recently to get the conversation started. I believe we can improve the situation if we encourage communication rather than seeking the validation of people on Facebook.