A STUDY ON MEDIA AND SUICIDE

Abstract

Suicide is the ending of one's life for various reasons. The reasons leading to suicide may depend on the personality structure of the individual that has been shaped since childhood or may have emerged as a result of the pressure of external factors. There is the opinion that an individual who is at peace with the society he lives in and with himself may be less inclined to commit suicide than those who are the opposite. However, suicidal behavior can be observed in individuals who do not have these negativities. The question of whether the suicide cases witnessed in society and in the media lead to new cases occupies an important place in the field, and it is thought that imitation behavior can be developed by creating an ordinary nation. In this study, which deals with the relationship between media and suicide, the field research method was used. Data were obtained from 404 participants face-to-face, via the Internet, and by telephone. Research results; While nearly 70 percent of the participants stated that the media has a direct or indirect effect on suicide cases, they stated that they mostly come across suicide news on social media. Again, nearly half of the respondents stated that suicide news should be covered in the media. In addition, more than half of the participants think that weak family ties cause suicide news.