Yesterday two things happened.  I saw this interview and found these – the media guidelines for suicide reporting.

The main argument against reporting suicides is that it’s contagious – a spate of suicides follow – especially celebrity ones. I’ve spoken about this before. Having read the media guidelines though, I have another perspective.

It’s not only how the media don’t ‘report’ about it, it’s also how the coroner doesn’t record it. Death by misadventure is usually a polite way of saying they jumped off a cliff.

I’m not in favour of a blow by blow description – though the public blood lust demands it – (I’m still amazed how many people ask me how my husband did it and are surprised when I tell them – you’ll sleep better if you don’t know) there is a morbid curiosity or is it something more sinister – something to file away for later in case they need it?

Having read the guidelines and finding the section where they talk about vulnerable sectors of the community being influenced, I stopped and thought about it carefully – that actually precludes the whole world – because there is always a weak moment in all of us at one time or another where we can be influenced either up or down.

So do I have an answer – yes and no.  Reporting of statistics, or the lack of them, issues surrounding what leads to suicide all need to be talked about and without the fear that these ideas and discussions will put ideas into other people’s heads.  We’ve built the buildings for people to jump off – now we have to teach them how to live with them.

Carry on.