# Suicide glamorization, culture, fandom -- what's the key phrase to search with? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 11, 2021, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suicide-glamorization-culture-fandom-whats-the-key-phrase-to-search-with/941833 "2021-05-11T13:20:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2021, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suicide-glamorization-culture-fandom-whats-the-key-phrase-to-search-with/941833/1 "2021-05-11T13:20:00Z")
I’m interested in a cultural or fad or trend phenomenon that centers suicide ideation and glamorizes suicide, in a groupie kind of way. I think there’s a flavor of suicide interest here that is distinct from the motivation that results in suicides or suicide attempts. Some examples: the fandom around “13 Reasons Why”, the cult following of “Harold and Maude”, the Lydia Deetz character in “Beetlejuice”, and a faddish following of Sylvia Plath. These are pop culture examples, but I don’t mean to ask about the pop culture topic per se, they’re just very well known handy models of it. I’ve been involved in some online groups for people bereaved by the suicide of another. Such groups sometimes deal with the issue of “suicide groupies” who want to be around the discussion of suicide. Unsurprisingly the groups also deal with people who are more seriously thinking about and at risk of suicide, a different and urgent problem, just because people sort of wind up in the wrong group. It makes it more difficult and complicated for a peer group of bereaved people, if these populations infiltrate the group Maybe it’s a bit like the weird phenomenon of disability groupies, like the Dope member Umkay of several years ago. Anyway, it is easy enough to find information about people at serious risk of suicide, and figure out a strategy for redirecting them to groups dedicated to dealing with that. What I’m looking for is a more accurate picture of the… well, what to call them? “Suicide groupies”? I’m looking for a better place to start, to make more sense of this phenomenon. Thanks!! ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2021, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suicide-glamorization-culture-fandom-whats-the-key-phrase-to-search-with/941833/2 "2021-05-11T14:09:24Z")
These terms might help. > **[Copycat suicide](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copycat_suicide)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > A copycat suicide is defined as an emulation of another suicide that the person attempting suicide knows about either from local knowledge or due to accounts or depictions of the original suicide on television and in other media. The publicized suicide serves as a trigger, in the absence of protective factors, for the next suicide by a susceptible or suggestible person. This is referred to as suicide contagion. > A spike of emulation suicides after... > **[Epidemiology of suicide](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidemiology_of_suicide)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > An estimated 1 million people worldwide die by suicide every year. Globally, suicide ranks among the three leading causes of death among those aged 15–44 years. Attempted suicides are up to 20 times more frequent than completed ones. > Incidence of suicide in a society depends on a range of factors. Clinical depression is an especially common cause. Bullying can also drive people to suicide, as it increases social isolation. Substance abuse and sev... > **[Suicide epidemic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_epidemic)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > A suicide epidemic is a large number of suicides taking place over a period of time in a manner that resembles a disease epidemic. Such epidemics have occurred in the former Soviet Union in the 1990s, among police officers, on Indian reservations, and in Micronesia. The Werther effect occurs when suicides that are made publicly known encourage others to imitate them. It has been suggested that the teaching of stories such as Romeo and Juliet may e... ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2021, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suicide-glamorization-culture-fandom-whats-the-key-phrase-to-search-with/941833/3 "2021-05-11T14:28:30Z")
Maybe “Morbid Curiosity”? It goes beyond strictly suicide, but still involves a fascination with death. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2021, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suicide-glamorization-culture-fandom-whats-the-key-phrase-to-search-with/941833/4 "2021-05-11T15:03:16Z")
Another possible term > **[Advocacy of suicide](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advocacy_of_suicide)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > Advocacy of suicide, also known as pro-suicide, has occurred in many cultures and subcultures. Confucianism holds that one should give up one's life, if necessary, either passively or actively, for the sake of upholding the cardinal moral values of ren (altruism) and yi (righteousness). The Japanese military during World War II encouraged and glorified kamikaze attacks, and Japanese society as a whole has been described as "suicide-tolerant" (see ... ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2021, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suicide-glamorization-culture-fandom-whats-the-key-phrase-to-search-with/941833/5 "2021-05-11T17:23:04Z")
[https://www.hhs.gov/answers/mental-health-and-substance-abuse/what-does-suicide-contagion-mean/index.html](https://www.hhs.gov/answers/mental-health-and-substance-abuse/what-does-suicide-contagion-mean/index.html)