27 May,2018 07:10 AM IST | Mumbai | Gaurav Sarkar
Representational Image
The controversial American Netflix drama, 13 Reasons Why, which has been credited with opening up global conversations around depression, bullying, and suicide in teens, doesn't seem to be winning favour with city therapists, who've witnessed a massive spike in the number of patients with suicidal tendencies ever since the release of the show's second season, last week.
Renowned Mumbai-based clinical psychologist and trauma therapist Hvovi Bhagwagar, 41, said she has witnessed a 40 per cent jump in the number of patients with suicidal tendencies, ever since the release of the second season of the show, which is based on a 2007 novel of the same name. Only last year, a study by John W Ayers of San Diego State University indicated that Google searches for "how to commit suicide" had increased 26 per cent following the series release.
While the makers have described the teen drama as a "powerful agent of change," the fact that really young children in Mumbai have warmed to the show, otherwise meant only for 18 years and above, has led to this alarming trend, said city therapists.
13 Reasons Why protagonist Hannah Baker
Wrong message
Bhagwagar said that many of the teenagers, who've come to her, have been making some reference or the other, to how they identify themselves with Hannah Baker, the protagonist of the show, who takes her own life in the first season. After Hannah's death, her classmate Clay finds a mysterious box on his porch, comprising recordings made by her, in which she explains the 13 reasons why she chose to commit suicide. In the second season, Clay's new love interest, Skye, is seen grappling with depression.
According to Bhagwagar, it's not the show's portrayal of suicide that worries her, as much as how it shows that committing suicide could bring about a positive change in society.
Hvovi Bhagwagar, clinical psychologist and trauma. Pic/Suresh Karkera
"Basically, what the show has done is romanticised the idea of suicide," she said. "A teenager who came to me last Tuesday, told me that after watching the show, she felt like writing letters to every single person, who had been mean to her and sending it to them, before ending her life," said Bhagwagar. She also pointed out that the series could act as a trigger for those viewers, who already have innate suicidal tendencies. "We see suicides in so many movies, but in this show, they have played with the characters' emotions and enlarged it, thereby making the responses much more severe than it could or should be," she said.
Hvovi Bhagwagar said that many of the teenagers, who've come to her, have mentioned how they identify themselves with Hannah Baker, who kills herself
Look who's watching
What is most worrying is that the show is quite popular among kids in their early teens. Most of Bhagwagar's patients watching the show are anywhere between 13 and 18 years of age.
Dr Zirak Marker, child and adolescent psychiatrist, and medical director of Mpower, explained why shows meant for adult viewing could do more harm than good. "Parents should know that the teenage brain is not fully developed. The limbic system of the brain is said to be the seat of emotions. Among teenagers, this system is most active, which is why they are very impulsive, experimental, emotional and volatile. Also, the pre-frontal cortex of the brain, which enables better judgement, control and decision making, is most underdeveloped in a teenager," said Marker.
Dr Zirak Marker, child and adolescent psychiatrist
Both Marker and Bhagwagar feel that parents should monitor what their children are watching on television. And, if the kids insist on seeing shows like 13 Reasons Why, parents should avoid pressing the panic the button, and instead sit the kid down and engage in healthy conversation. "They need to tell their kids that this is just a glamourised portrayal and not how things work in reality," said Bhagwagar. Most importantly, parents should look out for signs of distress or worry among children [see box].
'Authentic and relatable'
When mid-day reached out to Netflix, we were directed to a blog post by Brian Wright, vice president of original series, who defended the script, saying it "really reflected the world of today's teens in a way they would find authentic". He also pointed out that due to the controversial nature of the show, Netflix had conducted a global research study with Northwestern University's Center on Media and Human Development - an active research focus on the impact of media on children and teens - to see its impact on kids. "We've seen in our research that teens took positive action after watching the series, and now - more than ever - we are seeing the power and compassion of this generation advocating on behalf of themselves and their peers," said Wright.
Also read - 13 Reasons Why - 2 - Web Preview: It lacks conviction
As a precautionary measure, Netflix has included additional resource material in the second season. " After hearing that more than half of parents want more guidance from mental health experts, we've added additional resources to 13ReasonsWhy.Info, which will now include a viewing guide to help parents and teens start these tough conversations," he said. Netflix has also included a custom intro at the start of each season with the cast, to discuss how to get support.
