“13 Reasons Why” brings attention to teen suicide

Kayleigha McIntyre, Rooster Reporter

If you follow social media, you’ve probably heard of Netflix’s original series, “13 Reasons Why.” The series was released March 31 and centers around Clay Jensen (Dylan Minnette) and Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford), and the various negative impacts their fellow classmates impose on their lives. In the series, Baker is plagued with bullying, harassment and ill-fated events, which ultimately leads her to take her own life.

However, Baker wanted to make sure that the people who she thought were responsible for the damage knew about what they did to her. Baker left behind 13 tapes, addressed to a handful of her classmates that connected them to her suicide. The series takes place as Jensen is listening to the tapes, and slowly connects the dots of why Baker took her life.

The series deals with a very touchy subject: teen suicide. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, approximately 5,000 young adults and teens commit suicide a year, and is currently the second-leading cause of death for 15-24 year olds.

Yet you do not see many campaigns, posters or assemblies on preventing teen suicide in our own schools. In the series, Baker’s school only acknowledges the issue of suicide after Baker takes her life. This is one of the many reasons “13 Reasons Why” is an important series. It brings light to a subject that is not commonly talked about and that some are even scared to bring up. Netflix is a very popular way to view movies and television shows and, being such a big platform, has brought the much-needed attention to the show.

The show has been tweeted about, Instagrammed, Snapchatted and exposed to some of the biggest social media outlets thousands of times. So far, “13 Reasons Why” has been the most talked about show of 2017. With such high publicity, the series is showing people that teen suicide does happen, and someone around you may be considering the choice to end their life.

“13 Reasons Why” brings an original storyline to the table, yet it takes place in a setting most people are familiar with. The high school teenager perspective gives viewers something to relate to, as majority of the people watching have gone through high school themselves.

The series is showing viewers real life scenarios that could happen to you or any of your classmates on a daily basis. Baker was sexually harassed, body shamed, and bullied by the very people she went to school with. The series shows graphic examples of rape, bullying from some of the people Baker considered to be her closest friends, and her suicide to show what happens to teens all over the world. If the scenes in “13 Reasons Why” weren’t as thought provoking and captivating, it wouldn’t have made the impact that the creators intended it to have, and it wouldn’t have exploded on social media.

The real life events, such as when Baker was harassed, bullied and shamed, show viewers the hardships people that struggle with suicidal thoughts actually go through. The creators of the show designed the series to be hard to watch, as the people who experienced the thoughts of suicide themselves had to endure so much.

“These are real life scenarios that happen to real people every day,” said sophomore Bri Rush. “It’s important that people see and know that these things actually do happen.”

The way you treat people matters. In “13 Reasons Why,” one of the reasons Baker commits suicide is because she felt betrayed by the people she considered her close friends. She was left alone and was mistreated by person after person, even adults. Almost every person on the tapes became her friend, used her, and then left her the moment something went awry. As Baker is recording the tape, she mentions that maybe if even one person had treated her differently, with kindness and respect, she may have not made the fatal choice to take her own life.

“13 Reasons Why” shows us that we need to pay attention and look for signs in teens who may be considering suicide. Throughout the series Baker shows many signs of depression. At one point, Baker even reaches out to school officials about her bullying and traumatizing experiences.

However, classmates and even her own parents made statements claiming they had no idea Baker was showing signs of being depressed, which is a prime example of why we need to be aware and realize when someone is struggling and reaches out for help. Research from the Parent Resource Program shows that 4 out of 5 teens who commit suicide show clear warning signs.

“13 Reasons Why” shows us the life of a normal teen who went through so many hardships due to the tormenting, abuse, harassment, and bullying from other classmates that eventually led Baker to commit suicide. The series is a powerful reminder that teen suicide is, a subject that should not be ignored, and we need to be aware of when someone is struggling and showing signs of depression and reach out to them.