Abstract
Suicide and Media
In this study, the relationship between suicide and media was examined. Recent studies indicated that suicide rates have been increasing in many countries over the years. In
comparison, the number of suicidal events in our country reflect some similarities to
the number of suicidal rates in the world. In this regard, suicide is a matter of a great
concern to public health which should be paid close attention to. With the development of
technology, mass media, which rapidly entered to human life, has become an crucial part
of daily life. The magnitude of impacts of the media on individuals' emotions, behaviors
and attitudes has been the subject of many studies. In this respect, the relationship between
the phenomenon of suicide and the media should be examined in terms of understanding
the dynamics of suicide and preventing it. The effects of the media on suicidal behavior
have been questioned for many years and this relationship has been examined in many
studies. The results indicated that the representation of suicide news in a certain way, by
encouraging and dramatizing, could be a trigger for suicidal behavior. For this reason,
reporting suicide news in media has been regulated in many countries. In this study, the
characteristics of news about suicidal behavior of individuals will be evaluated from a
theoretical perspective and the effect of media on suicidal behavior will be examined
with examples. As a result, preventive studies are needed for suicidal behavior, which
is an important factor in terms of individual and social well-being. Legal sanctions are
needed to be put into practice as soon as possible. It is essential that media, has a strong
influence on the society should deliver the suicide news in a way that is free from the
incentive effect and has an alternative solution.
Keywords
Suicide, Society, Media, Effect, Mass Media.
