Mackenzie Parker Source 5

Question: Is there a stigma that is attached to suicide and is it affecting the rates of suicide?


Citation: Witte, Tracy K., April R. Smith, and Thomas E. Joiner. "Reason for Cautious Optimism? Two Studies Suggesting Reduced Stigma against Suicide."Journal of Clinical Psychology (2010): N/a. EBSCO Host. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.

In this journal, several studies were done showing how the stigma of suicide is decreasing.  This statement is argued by saying that the media has played a huge role in decreasing the stigma. This article talks about how stigma is so looked down upon becuase of how harshly Catholics viewed and how harshly is was talked about legally.  Due to these previous s stigmas that people have, they elieve that those who die of suicide are weak and selfish which is why there is a stigma.  The author continues to explain how media has increased the prevention and stigma through talking about an example such as the Dr Phil Show.  When Dr Phil addressed suicide and ways to prevent it, the national suicide hot line increased 300% in calls.  These results show that not only is media working to talk about suicide, but that they way they are talking about prevention is working. 

This article was very helpful because it argues a counter point from my second source. It also brought up a lot of useful information through the studies that they conducted. I am not sure yet If i feel that media is helping or hurting because both articles compose very good points, however, if I had to choose, i would say that i agree more with this article because it not only has studies, but i feel that the use of media would help reduce the stigma of suicide, not hurt it.

In source two, the author believes that broadcasting suicide prevention techniques on live television will not help the stigma to go away because of its possibility to normalize sducidal feelings. The author argues that we should not be using media, that we should be using more useful ways such as how journalists cover stories and has the author of source 3 said, we should be broadcasting suicide stigma prevention to a select group in order to not normalize it.  In contrast, this source argues the opposite, The author believes that media is actually reducing the stigma also informing the audience on prevention.  Over the past 20 years, the author believes that suicide is beginning to be viewed in new light thanks to the use of media spreading the word about the false stigma around suicide as well and prevention. As I was conducting my research, I found that the use of media is indeed helping to reduce the rates of suicide, however, I do believe that these campaigns need to be cautious as to what what they are saying and who they are saying it to in order to prevent the normalization of these feelings. 

This article made me question all the previous articles, in a good way, because it gave me  counter argument. I did not consider media actually helping because I thought it would make suicide appear to be a normal thing to consider. As I continue my research and writing process, I will begin to for more of a defined question in order to make a good thesis statement. Also, I will start depicting more information for all of my sources and drawing connections to where they relate and also where they disagree with each other so that I can properly synthesize. Once I have my thesis formed, I will begin the writing process where I include my personal opinion based off of my research as well.