When a beloved celebrity passes away under tragic circumstances, the shockwaves ripple far beyond their inner circle. Fans mourn, social media floods with tributes, and conversations around mental health take centre stage.
However, experts warn that the way these stories are shared can sometimes have unintended consequences, potentially contributing to what’s known as suicide contagion.
With South Africa recently losing its beloved comedian and TV personality, Ebenhaezer Dibakwane through suicide, it got me thinking about how some things, even though they aren’t supposed to be copied or repeated just because they are done by celebrities, people end up romanticising them.
According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, sensationalised media coverage or highly emotional responses to a public figure’s death can lead to increased suicide risk, particularly among vulnerable individuals. The publication explains that with the rise of social media, where information spreads rapidly and often without context, the influence of celebrities—both in life and death—raises important questions about responsible storytelling and mental health awareness.
The Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health mentions that researchers have developed a computer model to examine the dynamics underlying suicide contagion, finding that both the suicides of Robin Williams in 2014 and Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain in 2018 led to large increases in suicidal thoughts and behaviour. The findings are said to provide a framework for quantifying suicidal contagion to better understand, prevent, and contain its spread.
Psychology Today notes that researchers found three main pathways for suicidal ideation and behaviour: direct contagion, indirect contagion, and media influence, with exposure to a suicide death increasing the likelihood of developing such thoughts.
Also see: Ways to support a suicide survivor
