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05/01/2017 12:00 AMSeveral shoreline youth and family services agencies are alerting parents to be aware of whether their children are viewing the Netflix series, 13 Reasons Why, and to talk with them, if they are.
“It’s a 13-episode Netflix series about an adolescent girl, Hannah Baker, who commits suicide. Hannah leaves behind audio cassette tapes that implicate 13 people in her decision to kill herself. Each episode portrays a painful account of how she believes each person contributed to her suicide,” says a release from Westbrook Youth & Family Services (WY&FS).
WY&FS Executive Director Jacqueline Ward says the agency has received a very positive response about the email, spearheaded by Shannon Murphy at the agency. Scott Cochran, the director of Madison Youth and Family Services, says he agrees with the Westbrook Youth and Family Services recommendations and resources, and that he also wrote a letter for parents, which he has forwarded to Madison school administrators, in case they would like to send something out.
In Old Saybrook, mental health experts are organizing a session focused on the questions raised by the series, and how parents can talk with their children about those questions and issues. The Old Saybrook event, on Monday, May 15 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Old Saybrook Middle School Library, 60 Sheffield Street, Old Saybrook, will be facilitated by Alicia Farrell, PhD, with other local mental health professionals assisting. The event is open to all, from any town.
"We'll also talk about the role their child can play in supporting friends as well as the role of the parent in supporting their child, should their child have to break a friend's confidence," said Heather McNeil, Executive Director, Old Saybrook Youth and Family Services agency.
Cochran said in his letter to parents that "the show is likely too mature and graphic for younger viewers," and that parents might want to check with their kids "to find out if they have already seen the show, and consider more discussion based on their response."
The Westbrook release, distributed in an email, says that the movie includes graphic content and images including rape scenes and a suicide.
“Therapist’s Perspective: These graphic episodes can be very disturbing, especially for teenagers who may be struggling with their own mental health concerns, been victimized themselves, and/or know someone who falls into these categories. Even though there are warnings about graphic images, the series offers no real-world resources for viewers who have been victims of sexual assault and/or struggling with suicidal thoughts. However, 13 Reasons does depict relevant issues that affect our youth such as rumors, gossip, social media, reputation, date rape, and substance abuse,” the WY&FS release states.
On the issue of whether it glamorizes suicide, the email says, “This series has received a lot of attention and many people are binge-watching the show. Singer/actress Selena Gomez is an executive producer of the series and lends her star power to the series. Gossip over cast members getting semicolon tattoos and dating has exploded on Instagram and other social media outlets. One of the risk factors of suicide, according to The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, is exposure to graphic or sensationalized accounts of suicide.
“Hannah Baker leaves tapes and a detailed plan for how these tapes should be passed to each person who has influenced her decision to commit suicide. The viewer is left on the edge of his/her seat wondering who will be next, when will the main male character be on the tape, will the main male character ever finish the tapes, will any of them crack and tell their parents, etc. Viewers experience the main character’s perspective and side with Hannah about how she had her revenge but viewers lose sight that it was her choice. The show never describes the infinitely preferable options available to Hannah or others struggling with suicidal thoughts. Being exposed to sensationalized or graphic accounts of suicide will not lead to a person to decide to take their life. There are many other risk factors including history of mental illness, prolonged stress, substance abuse, access, family history of suicide, and more. If your teen is struggling with a mental health issue or suicidal ideation, it might be triggering and traumatizing for them to watch the series.”
As to whether parents should allow teens to watch it, the WY&FS email says the movie can be triggering for someone who lives with a mental health disorder, and that if parents choose not to let their teens, they should “say no, stay calm and explain your thoughts on the matter. Then listen to your teen’s reasons for why they believe they should. You can validate their feelings while also setting firm boundaries.”
For additional information, the email recommends this article: themighty.com/2017/04/should-i-watch-13-reasons-why-review-suicide/, and says parents might want to watch the Netflix series first.
The email also provides these additional resources:
• Emergency Mobile Psychiatric Services: Dial 211 when a child is at risk of acting dangerously, threatening to hurt himself or others or having a behavioral crisis you cannot handle.
• Suicide Prevention: In crisis? Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
• Especially for teens or youth: Text 741741 when in crisis. Anytime or anywhere. A live, trained counselor receives the text and will respond promptly. Crisistextline.org is an anonymous service
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: afsp.org/about-suicide/risk-factors-and-warning-signs
—Pem McNerney and Becky Coffey
contributed to this story.