Netflix just released its highly publicized series 13 Reasons Why, an adaptation of the popular 2007 novel of the same name by Jay Asher. The series consists of 13 episodes that tell the tale of Hannah, a high school student who tragically ended her own life, but not before recording 13 sides of audio cassette tape implicating 13 individuals in her death. The novel is quite captivating and an unfortunate harsh truth about adolescence for some youth. Its move to Netflix will expose its content to a far wider audience. For those who may struggle with similar challenges as Hannah or live with their own vulnerabilities, the overall message of this series may get distorted into a sense that suicide is a natural way of solving life’s struggles. It is not. The Pennsylvania Youth Suicide Prevention Initiative is pleased to share with you key talking points developed by SAVE and the Jed Foundation. It is with near certainty that many of your students will be talking about this series in school. Being armed with appropriate and positive messages will help students struggling with their own emotional response to this series to put the dramatized content into realistic perspective and afford you with new opportunities for engaging these youth and providing necessary support and resources.
Please see the attached Talking Points for 13 Reasons Why:
Additional key resources for all include:
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK)
- Crisis Text Line – text “HOME” to 741-741
- www.youthsuicidewarningsigns.org – accurate, up-to-date, empirically-informed warning signs for youth suicide and how you can respond to someone in crisis
Suicide is preventable.
