The suicides of famous people can act as a “contagion” and to make thousands of people think about taking their own lives, writes "Daily Mail", referring to a new study, BTA reported.
Researchers analyze the “rapid and expansive spread“ of suicidal behavior linked to the deaths of three iconic figures, including actor Robin Williams, fashion designer Kate Spade and travel writer Anthony Bourdain. They found that after Williams' death in 2014, the number of people who thought about suicide increased a thousand-fold, suggesting copycat behavior.
Columbia University researchers report that there is no single factor that causes suicide or thoughts, but some are attributed to social or infectious processes.
The study, published in the journal Science Advances, analyzed data from the total number of weekly calls to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a 24-hour call center, to estimate how many people had suicidal thoughts. In addition, scientists take data on mortality in the “National System of Vital Statistics” (National Vital Statistics System).
Jeffrey Shaman, co-author of the study and a professor at Columbia University in the US, said that after the deaths of all three celebrities, the number of calls to the emergency call line increased significantly, but Williams' suicide seemed to have a greater impact.
p>
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the ninth leading cause of death for people aged 10 to 64 and is responsible for more than 48,000 deaths in 2021 in the US.
Study co-author Professor Catherine Keys said their ultimate aim was to work towards a model of the prevalence of suicides that could serve as a rapid response to prevent them.