Media can help reduce suicide risk

We were deeply saddened by the death of Nimisha Tiwari and her children and extend our sympathies to the Tiwari family and Nimisha's parents. When lives end as a result of suicide, many questions are left unanswered. While we appreciate the need for media to report newsworthy stories, responsible reporting is important in these sensitive situations.

Your articles from Aug. 12 through August 17 provided many sensational details of the suicide and the circumstances surrounding the Tiwaris' marriage, which we find unsettling.

Mental health professionals have urged the media to practice responsible journalism in reporting suicides. The media can help by educating readers about the likely causes of suicide, its warning signs, and treatment resources.

At the same time, psychologists have found an increased risk of suicide contagion if incidents are glorified. Including details about the method of a suicide, signaling suicide in the headline, printing photos of a suicide victim and engaging in repetitive reporting may encourage readers at risk to act on suicidal thoughts.

The Asian American Suicide Prevention Initiative (AASPI) is a growing coalition of consumers, health care providers, and researchers addressing suicide in Asian Americans. We urge The Daily Herald to focus on the facts and to stress that while there is no simple explanation for suicides, the mental health issues that underlie many suicides are treatable. Mistrust of mental health services, cultural stigma, and the lack of linguistically appropriate services prevent many Asian families from accessing mental health care when they need it. As a community, we can best serve those whose mental well-being is impaired by empowering them to seek help and helping them access services that they deserve to have.

Grace Chan, M.A.

Former Associate Dean

of Students

University of Chicago

Aruna Jha, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

College of Nursing

University of Illinois

at Chicago