Recent generations are more involved with technology and infatuated with social media than ever before. Many youth have easy access to social media and being exposed to opinions of other peers can lead to feeling inadequate. In recent media, the emphasis on skinny and rich women as well as muscular and handsome men who are modeled to be “perfect” are being showcased to tell the many youths how to look like and act. Media serves as a crucial role in many lives as a way to express themselves and share their opinions.

Many depressed individuals express their feelings using social media. Although these cries for help may seem harmless, however depressing tweets and photos may be symptoms of depression which can lead to suicide. A misconception of suicidal individuals is that people with suicidal thoughts are psychopaths, when in reality people who commit suicide are not antisocial psychopaths but are normal people who are depressed which is one of the most common forms of mental illness.

“Most suicidal people are not psychotic or insane. They may be upset, grief-stricken, depressed or despairing” According to Suicide Awareness Voice for Education

The fact that these people who commit suicide are normal individuals only emphasizes to show that anyone is susceptible to suicide and it could be the people who are the closest to us and are not seeking help.

In most cases the people who commit suicide have friends and family that were close to them but did not seek help from them. Instead of seeking help from friends or professionals many sought help in the internet and on social networking sites.

“Teens and young adults use social networking sites and mobile technology to express suicidal thoughts and intentions — often as a way to reach out for help.”  –RICK NAUERT PHD

Technology can provide more opportunities to seek help with professionals, however, the media’s influence can also be posed as a poison. Teens are finding more reason to be depressed because they feel inadequate to the media’s model of being perfect. Also, with teens expressing their suicidal thoughts in social networking sites, their peers with limited experience confronting suicide easily brush these thoughts off and ignore these cries for help.

“In [2012], someone in the country died by suicide every 12.9 minutes” – American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

In an emergency, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255).