There were an additional 195 suicide deaths after the release of the series on Netflix.
The series was met with concern when it aired in March 2017, with health and education professionals fearing the content was potentially harmful for vulnerable populations, such as adolescents. The number of suicide deaths among the same age category “increased significantly” in the month immediately after it hit screens, said the paper, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.The researchers however were not able to establish a causal link between viewing the television series and the increase in suicides and acknowledged other factors may have played a role.
“It is very concerning that a graphic depiction of the method of Hannah’s suicide was shown, which can be traumatic for survivors of suicide loss or suicide attempt and also provides a particular pathway for suicide in some cases,” he said.