The new television series on Netflix, “13 Reasons Why” was brought to my attention by a middle school student and I soon came to find out that lots of people were talking about it which means that this television show is having an impact on a lot of people’s lives. I decided to watch it for myself and I was personally impacted by it so I can see how other people would be impacted from watching the show. If you have not seen it, the show is about a girl in high school, Hannah Baker, who commits suicide and before she dies, she makes 13 audio tapes directed to the people who she feels as though contributed to why she decided to end her life. Throughout the show, issues get presented that adolescents and young adults are facing today such as bullying, substance use, sexual assault, peer pressure, family/relational issues, and the main theme of the show which is suicide. Hannah’s parents are trying to understand why their daughter did what she did because they felt like they had a close relationship with their daughter and they did not notice any signs that she was feeling the way she was. In most cases, there are signs that the person may be feeling suicidal. Often the signs are nonverbal and may be difficult to notice but it is very important to know what they are.
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is a good resource to help you become aware of the warning signs of someone who may be suicidal as well as risk factors which may increase the likelihood that someone may become suicidal. Please refer to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention for more detailed information:
https://afsp.org/about-suicide/risk-factors-and-warning-signs/
Another area that is important to be knowledgeable about is bullying. Please refer to the Stop Bullying.gov website below for more information on what bullying is/looks like, what to do if you or someone you know is being bullied, how to prevent bullying, how to get help, etc.
Lastly, sexual assault can be a life changing experiencing but it is important to know what you can do if you have been sexually assaulted. Please visit the website below to learn more about steps you can take after sexual assault
https://www.rainn.org/articles/steps-you-can-take-after-sexual-assault
If you, or someone you know, is the victim of bullying or sexual assault or has thoughts to harm themselves or anyone else, please know that help is available. Please talk to a responsible adult about what you are going through or you can always make an anonymous call to the Access and Crisis Line at (858)-724-7240, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week where a person can provide you with support and helpful resources.