13 Reasons Why: Helping or Harming?

A girl, a box of tapes and a suicide are at the center of a story everyone seems to be talking about. In late March, the streaming service Netflix debuted their original series 13 Reasons Why. The fictional series revolves around a girl, Hannah Baker, who leaves a box of seven tapes to classmates after she commits suicide, each tape leaving an explanation as to why. While the series has received much acclaim from those who praise it for putting a spotlight on controversial topics such as suicide, the series has also garnered a lot of controversy and disappointment from several teens and parents who believe it trivializes the issue of suicide. 13 Reasons Why has even lead school districts across the country, including our very own, to issue warning notices to parents about the contents of the series. This all leaving one big question in mind, is 13 Reasons Why helping the awareness towards suicide and mental health or harming it?

According to a 2015 TED Talk 4,400 teenagers commit suicide a year, making depression the third largest cause of death among teens in the country, With statistics like these many feel the series is doing great in being an ice breaker for these issues, “It has a deep meaning behind it and it teaches a lesson,” said Sophomore Kimberley Jean. “It’s starting conversations about topics like suicide, abuse, and depression which weren’t necessarily always talked about out loud and I think that’s awesome.” On the contrary, the problem many see in the series is in the way it presents these topics, “The elements of depression are never fully shown through Hannah’s character, how are we supposed to know if someone needs help?” said Sophomore Ashley Hughey. “It mostly shows what not to do when you are depressed rather than what to do just for the purpose of entertainment.”  At one point in the series, Hannah does try to reach out for help with her school counselor but he fails to give her the wisdom she needs. 13 Reasons Why does also include an additional episode after the fictional component of the show called Beyond The Reasons where resources and support are offered to the viewers.

However, this opinion seems to be a very popular one amongst those not fully on board with the fictional elements of the series. Many mental health experts have criticized the show creators for not entirely portraying the psychology behind suicide and instead showing the graphic suicide scene that they were warned not to show by mental health professionals. “This scene does not help public awareness about the topic,” Dan Reidenberg, executive director of Suicide Awareness Voices of Education, told the Huffington Post. “It is not educational or informational.”

“What the series does not emphasize is that most suicide deaths are a result of a presence of a treatable mental illness, with those students in desperate need of help it’s not helpful because they aren’t getting the support they need.” agreed WOHS Student Assistant Counselor Mrs. Golding-Cooper. Mrs. Golding- Cooper believes a dialogue between teen and adult is what is most essential for students before watching the series “ I think it’s helpful if conversations are happening where there is proper adult supervision or that there are adults that are around to be able to talk with the students that are watching it.” She adds. “It’s not necessarily just the show or the context of the show but the fact that if students aren’t able to talk with someone what feelings the show may bring up in them or if they have any comments or concerns about the material.” So is 13 Reasons Why helping or harming the awareness of suicide and mental health? There is no certain answer. Nevertheless, if you or someone you know is struggling mentally, don’t hesitate to reach out to an adult or a student assistant counselor in the building. “The series is not totally realistic, there are components of the series that would definitely not happen here in West Orange Public Schools because of our reactions to students that come here with concerns.” Mrs. Golding-Cooper emphasized.“Suicide is not a solution to problems.”