Healthy Living
Concerned About Season Two of ’13 Reasons Why’? What Parents Can Do
|
The popular yet controversial new season of the Netflix show “13 Reasons Why” was released on May 18, prompting parents and mental health clinicians to ask themselves once again whether this is the best forum for addressing teen suicide and other controversial themes. Season One aired last year with the premise of an adolescent who committed suicide and who left behind a series of videos addressed to the individuals who had wronged her in some way by being hurtful or indifferent and contributed to her suicide. The show created a stir among concerned parents and mental health professionals due to the idea that it romanticized suicide. The person who committed suicide in the show could see the reaction her death had on others after her death. This can be problematic as it may give young people contemplating suicide the idea that they could somehow have revenge or help others understand their pain when that is never the case.