Spotlight On: Suicide Prevention

 
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Depicting Suicide Prevention


Helping Young Adults
 

 


Suggestions for Depiction

People—especially young adults—need to understand what to do if someone they know attempts suicide or shows signs of suicidal behavior.

  • Suicidal behaviors are often preceded by warning signs (Find a full list of these warning signs in Picture This: Depression and Suicide Prevention). As you design your characters and storylines attempt to keep in mind that these warning signs are often nuances that can make them more compelling and realistic.
  • Consider ways to show depressed or suicidal characters seeking help. This will  model help-seeking behaviors for your viewers and will make it clear that there is nothing wrong with seeking out help when needed.
  • Consider showcasing primary prevention by depicting kids talking about suicide in an honest, helpful way that provides an opportunity for expert advice by another character — a doctor or other medical or psychiatric professional.
  • Consider the visual ways you could convey that someone is not alone. People can call suicide hotlines, seek out support groups, and consult mental health professionals available for 24-hour intervention.
  • Attempt to bring to the forefront the benefits of friends and support systems, especially peer support for young people.
For More Depiction Suggestions Read
Picture This: Depression and Suicide Prevention

 
 


Profile On: Bravo

Prior to the 2011 premiere of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Bravo was informed that one of the show’s participants, Taylor Armstrong, had just lost her husband to suicide.

Working with the Entertainment Industries Council, Bravo aired various PSA’s during the episodes of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and during other programming, and also taped interviews with the participants of the show. Bravo also provided additional information and resources online at Bravotv.com, including the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number. The web site also carried the annual PRISM Awards Showcase which featured the Lifeline number and several segments that focused on suicide.

The entertainment industry has an unparalleled ability to affect the way audiences understand and react to health and social issues. Bravo’s efforts provided not only the acknowledgment that suicide needs to be addressed and understood but also served to open up a forum of conversation about warning signs and what resources are available to people who may be experiencing feelings of depression or contemplating suicide.


 

PSA promotion of Suicide Prevention Lifeline in conjunction with Bravo channel, realizing 42,406,800 gross impressions
(all ages); 16,975,396 unique impressions (All ages)

 

 

Established in 2010, the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention is a public-private partnership developed to guide the implementation of the goals and objectives in the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (NSSP). Its mission is to advance the NSSP by championing suicide prevention as a national priority; catalyzing efforts to implement high priority objectives of the NSSP; and cultivating the resources needed to sustain progress.

“There is strong evidence that a comprehensive public health approach is effective in reducing suicide rates.” 

- Action Alliance Home Page

For More Information
Please visit:

actionallianceforsuicideprevention.org



Suicide Prevention Lifeline

If you or someone you know is battling depression or thoughts of suicide 

Call 
THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE
at

1 800 273 TALK (8255) 

To speak with a counselor today! 

For Veterans Press 1

 

Through the Annual PRISM Awards
EIC celebrates the ART of making a difference by honoring the accurate depiction of drug, alcohol and tobacco use and addiction as well as mental health issues in television, movies, music and comic book entertainment.

Here are a few past PRISM Award winning productions that depicted the topic of suicide with both creativity and accuracy.

2011
Daytime Drama Series Storyline
One Life to Live 
Hannah and Cole: Paying it Forward
(ABC Daytime)

News Magazine
E! Investigates - “Teen Suicide”
(E! Entertainment Television)

Original DVD
Mississippi Damned
(Morgan’s Mark)

Unscripted Non-Fiction Program
If You Really Knew Me - “Riverside High School”
(MTV / Arnold Shapiro Productions)

2010
Television Movie
Prayers for Bobby
(Lifetime Television / Slade Taaffee Productions / Once Upon a Time Films / Permut Presentations)

2009
Talk Show Episode
Dr. Phil “The Bridge”
(CBS Paramount Domestic Television / Peteski Productions)

2008
Mental Health Depiction Award
The Sopranos – “The Second Coming” / “The Blue Comet”
(HBO Entertainment / Chase Films)

For More Information about the PRISM Awards past and present visit
www.prismawards.com

 

 

 

 


EIC’s FREE resource to the creative community offering access to experts on this and many other topics.

To set up your own FREE 
First Draft Consultation 
Contact:
Ashley at ajupin@eiconline.org
or call 818-840-2016

Portions of this newsletter adapted from
Picture This: Depression and Suicide Prevention


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