Social media as a beacon of hope: suicide prevention through influencers!

Social media as a beacon of hope: suicide prevention through influencers!

A new scientific approach is shedding light on the role of social media in suicide prevention, and the results are promising. According to Florian Arendt from the University of Vienna, the positive portrayal of hope and crisis management on platforms like Instagram can actually counteract suicidal thoughts in vulnerable people. This represents a positive contrast to the well-known “Werther effect,” in which media coverage of suicides can encourage copycat acts. A study examined Instagram posts by survivor and influencer Kevin Hines, who himself survived a suicide attempt kleinezeitung.at is reported.

Results of the study

Participants in the study, including 354 test subjects, were divided into two groups. One group saw Hines' inspirational posts, while the control group received other, unrelated content. The analysis showed that among those who had previously had increased suicidal thoughts, the positive information led to a reduction in these thoughts. In addition, their willingness to seek help increased. This underscores the notion that social media influencers can play a significant role in suicide prevention, as well Kjug-Zeitschrift.de formulated.

Arendt emphasizes that the results are particularly important because suicide is one of the most common causes of death among young people. The findings could encourage other influencers to share their own stories of coping with crises, which can increase the impact of a positive message online. In order to promote the spread of such positive “Papageno narratives”, social media should be actively integrated into the national suicide prevention strategy. Given the reach of social platforms, this is an essential step, not only for young people but for society as a whole.