The Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, based on a young adult novel of the same title by Jay Asher, generated serious concerns in the suicide prevention community when it aired in March 2017. Many experts believe that the series creates risks for suicide ideation and contagion among young people by romanticizing suicide, depicting graphic scenes, and downplaying the reality that mental health struggles often play in such deaths. According to a study published in April 2019 in Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the series was associated with a 28.9 percent increase in suicide rates among U.S. youth ages 10-17 in the month (April 2017) following the show’s release. Experts also criticized the series for undermining the roles of parents and school counselors in supporting young people in distress. Netflix launched Season 2 of 13 Reasons Why in May 2018 and is expected to launch Season 3 of the series in 2019. This page contains links to expert views and guidance for constructive support around viewing the Netflix series.

Resources for Schools and Parents

National Association of School Psychologists: “13 Reasons Why Netflix Series: Considerations for Educators

American School Counselor Association: “13 Reasons Why Netflix Series: How School Counselors Can Help”

AASA, The School Superintendents Association:  “13 Reasons Why Discussion Resource Library for Educators and Parents

We Are Teachers: 7 Essential Discussion Questions for 13 Reasons Why”

TeachAway: “13 Reasons Why: Resources for Teachers”

Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE): 13 Reasons Why Toolkit

The Jed Foundation and Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE): 13 Reasons Why Talking Points

Active Minds: 13 Ways to Continue the Conversation about 13 Reasons Why

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: Tips for Parents for Talking with Their Children about 13 Reasons Why and Suicide

Suicide Prevention Center of New York State: Talking Points: Student Presentations

Oxford High School: Students begin project called “13 Reasons Why Not”

Centre for Suicide Prevention (Canada): Thirteen Reasons Why Lesson Plan

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the American School Counselor Association, and the National Association of School Psychologists: A Teachable Moment Using 13 Reasons Why to Initiate a Helpful Conversation About Suicide Prevention and Mental Health

13 Reasons Why: Beyond the Reasons

Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide: “Not My Kid—What Parents Should Know about Teen Suicide”

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, The Trevor Project, the American School Counselor Association, and the National Association of School Psychologists: Model School District Policy on Suicide Prevention

 

Statements and Articles by Mental Health Experts

Suicide Prevention Resource Center: “13 Reasons Why”

Sansea L. Jacobson, MD: “Thirteen reasons to be concerned about 13 Reasons Why”

International Association for Suicide Prevention: “Briefing in Connection with the Netflix Series 13 Reasons Why”

The Jed Foundation: “Netflix 13 Reasons Why—What Viewers Should Consider”

American Psychiatric Association: “13 Mental Health Questions about 13 Reasons Why”

Child Mind Institute: Why Talk to Kids About 13 Reasons Why

Society of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology: “SCCAP Statement on 13 Reasons Why”

John Ackerman, PhD: “13 Reasons Why—Should Parents Be Concerned About This Netflix Series?”

Elana Premack Sandler LCSW, MPH: “13 Reasons Why 13 Reasons Why Isn’t Getting It Right”

Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand: “13 Reasons Why: What you need to know”

DeQuincy Lezine, PhD: “13 Reasons Why—Follow-up thoughts”

Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW: “Can 13 Reasons Why Really Trigger Suicides?”

 

News Media Articles

“Did 13 Reasons Why Spark a Suicide Contagion Effect?,” by Sophie Gilbert (The Atlantic)

“13 Reasons Why and Suicide Contagion,” by Patrick Devitt (Scientific American)

“13 Reasons Why is affecting America’s classrooms. Teachers tell us their stories.” By Amy Kaufman (Los Angeles Times)

“Critics say 13 Reasons Why has artistic merit. Suicide prevention experts say it’s dangerous.” By Constance Grady (Vox)

13 Reasons Why Is Not the Force for Mental Health Awareness People Say It Is,” by Korin Miller (Self)

“13 Reasons Why Makes a Smarmy Spectacle of Suicide,” by Jia Tolentino (The New Yorker)

“Why I Wish I Didn’t Watch ’13 Reasons Why,” by Rachel Sloan (The Mighty)

“Survivors Explain What Was Wrong With the 13 Reasons Why Suicide Scene,” by Lily Herman (Teen Vogue)

“Schools superintendent—Students are harming themselves and citing 13 Reasons Why,” by Valerie Strauss (The Washington Post)

“Does 13 Reasons Why Glamorize Teen Suicide?” By Alexa Curtis (Rolling Stone)

“Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why is an irresponsible dramatisation of teenage suicide,” by Neha Shah (The New Statesman)

“For Families of Teens at Suicide Risk, ‘13 Reasons’ Raises Concerns,” by Catherine Saint Louis (The New York Times)

“Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why has gone viral. So has alarm over its depiction of suicide,” by Beth Teitell (The Boston Globe)

“13 Reasons Why proves that we still don’t know how to portray suicide,” by Rebecca Ruiz (Mashable)

“13 Reasons Why Writer: Why We Didn’t Shy Away from Hannah’s Suicide,” by Nic Sheff

 

Scholarly Articles

“Association Between the Release of Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why and Suicide Rates in the United States: An Interrupted Times Series Analysis,” Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

“Internet Searches for Suicide Following the Release of 13 Reasons Why,” by John W. Ayers, Benjamin M. Althouse, Eric C. Leas, Mark Dredze, Jon-Patrick Allem

“Media Contagion and Suicide Among the Young,” by Madelyn Gould, Patrick Jamieson, Daniel Romer

“Teen Suicide: Fanning the Flames of a Public Health Crisis,” by Vera Feuer and Vera Feuer and Jennifer Havens

 

13 Reasons Why, By Jay Asher (young adult fiction)

An Educator’s Guide to 13 Reasons Why