A new study in JAMA Internal Medicine's journal shows internet searches for suicide-related terms spiked following the release of Netflix series 13 Reasons Why back in March.
The show sees protagonist Hannah Baker - played by Katherine Langford - commit suicide; something JAMA International Medicine suggest could be in direct corrolation with the surge in searches in the topic.
In the 19 days after the show launched, searches majorly spiked with 'how to commit suicide' increasing by 26 percent, 'commit suicide' by 18 percent and 'how to kill yourself' by 9 percent.
'Suicide hotline number' searches also increased by 21 percent, with 'teen suicide' by a massive 34 percent.
Researchers claim it's 'unclear' whether or not these searches led to suicide attempts, but argue that 'suicide search trends are correlated with actual suicides, media coverage of suicides concur with increased suicide attempts, and searches for precise suicide methods increased after the series’ release.'
Meanwhile President of the Child Mind Institute Dr. Harold S. Koplewicz told NBC News the 'cost-benefit ratio [for 13 Reasons Why] isn't worth it.'
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