Sushant Singh Rajput's death: Here are some guidelines to sensitive reportage on deaths by suicide

The sudden demise of 34-year-old Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput has led to a domino effect, bringing to the surface a series of issues that are left unattended to fester by the society. This includes the stigma around mental health. But, that is not what we will address here.

What we will talk about is the language used by the media to report suicide, why it is important to change that and how the nuances of the language itself have an impact on the mind of the reader.

Language

To start with, the usage of the term “commit suicide” can seem insensitive. Veterans in the profession might argue that there is nothing alarming about the words as such, and that it is a standard description of a tragic act.

However, there are negative connotations attached to these words. To “commit” suicide has a criminal undertone, and is probably in reference to a time when “committing” suicide was a crime, making it akin to “committing murder”, linguistically speaking. [India had warning signs suicide in June 2018 as per the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017; however, Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code still mentions it.]

“Committing suicide” could be replaced by “death by suicide”. Similarly, “failed suicide attempt” could be replaced by “non-fatal suicide attempt”.

Of course, the paradigm shift may appear clumsy at first, considering how naturally “commits suicide” comes to our collective vocabulary. But, the change needs to be incorporated, especially by the media, as it bears significant influence on its consumers.

What difference does it make?

Several studies, over time, have pointed out that exposure to suicide, either directly or through media, makes people more likely to resort to suicidal thoughts themselves. The phenomenon is called suicide contagion.

According to a study cited by Time magazine, specific journalistic practices – such as including lots of details about death by suicide, or glamourising such an incident – can make the suicide contagion worse.

The study also pointed out that celebrity suicides, headlines which include details about the act, as well as statements that make suicide seem inevitable are all correlated with suicide contagion. In fact, the more vivid the description of death, the more it may contribute to suicide contagion.

To back their study, the researchers gave an example: After Robin Williams’ death by suicide in August 2014, which was covered extensively by the US media, a study found 10 percent increase in suicides across the US, in the next four months.

In addition, experts agree that journalists should ideally treat a story on death by suicide as a health story, instead of an entertainment story.

The study’s lead investigator and psychiatrist, Dr Mark Sinyor, told Time, “Suicide invariably arises from treatable mental disorders. Most people who experience suicidal crises find paths to resilience, and there is no reason anyone has to die by suicide.”

The story can also be ended with a positive message, such as pointing at states/countries which have seen improvement in suicide prevention, or mention people who have recovered from suicide crisis.

What are the guidelines to report a suicide?

According to the Centre for Mental Health, Law and Policy, Pune, here are seven guidelines, advocated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other international organisations, that the media should strictly adhere to while reporting celebrity suicides:

# Don’t promote suicide stories by placing them in the front pages of the newspaper or as a lead item for broadcast media.

# Don’t give details about the method or location of any suicide death or attempt.

# Suicide notes, text messages, social media posts, and emails of the deceased person and/or their family members should not be published.

# Don’t speculate. Verify your facts from multiple sources when the reasons for a suicide death or attempt are not immediately clear.

# Don’t reveal personal details about family members, the deceased person, or any person who has attempted suicide without their informed consent

# Don’t write of suicide deaths/attempts as horrific, unfortunate events. Open up your story by focusing on the celebrity’s life and their contribution to society.

# Suicide is a largely preventable public health problem. There are several counselling services and helplines working across the country for this cause. Include these resources in your story/report.

Besides, the International Journalists Network has some other clauses to add, in order to ensure that the reportage is not insensitive:

# Avoid phrases like “committed suicide”.

# Always provide helpline information. A simple sentence: ‘If you are in a crisis, please call (enter helpline number)’ can help anyone who is struggling access immediate help.

# Consider appending a list of warning signs, that can be recognised by friends and family of someone who is struggling

# Do not suggest that suicide was caused due to a single event. Suicide is complex, and is often the outcome of different causes, including mental illness – whether recognized and treated or not.

Indian Media Coverage

The media coverage of the Sushant Singh Rajput’s death by suicide evoked a public outcry on social media, with mental health experts beseeching journalists to be sensitive and responsible while covering the death of the young actor.

While English news  media spoke about reducing the stigma and encouraging dialogue on mental health, especially depression, and suicide; they were not particularly delicate with their reportage, publishing pictures of Sushant’s bereaved family. Some Hindi TV news channels' coverage received the maximum backlash.

pic.twitter.com/8sgsO3g6D3

— Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) June 14, 2020

Also stop sending him those pictures to confirm those are the real pictures. How cruel and heartless and desperate. SHAME!!! https://t.co/ZME6GMSkTg

— Anubhav Sinha (@anubhavsinha) June 14, 2020

At this time of immense tragedy, I would request the media to be sensitive towards Sushant’s family and friends. I urge everyone to respect their emotions and let them grieve.

— Anushka Sharma (@AnushkaSharma) June 14, 2020

The sheer amount of content being shared on social media and “live footage” on TV news channels, including personal details, mourning friends from the film industry, fans, etc. makes it impossible for readers/viewers to look away from the news of suicide. The overwhelming amount of information may act as triggers, especially for people who are vulnerable.

Incriminating language is also deemed a major contributor to the stigma around suicide, the full burden of which is borne by the family of the deceased. Suicide leaves the bereaved with acute feelings of self-denigration and self-recrimination. They often feel ashamed, and the use of insensitive language compels them to turn their way from dialogue.

Because this insensitivity and stigma is debilitating, it needs to go from the media coverage of deaths by suicide. And to bring in a paradigm shift, those in positions of power – media, academia, leaders, educators – need to take that first step.

Promoting sensitive reportage will not only inspire dialogue on suicide, it will also help the bereaved find some dignity and solace in their loss.