Internet and Suicide

Abstract

It is now commonly accepted that the appearance and expansion of Internet-based communication has given rise to new possibilities for forging social networks and establishing “communities of interest.” One such ‘interest group’ which has found a community online comprises those who wish to end their lives. This has become a cause for concern to public health officials, governments, and suicide prevention professionals, while on the other hand possibilities for outreach and prevention in the new medium are being explored. The ways in which suicidal individuals have availed themselves of the information resources and connective possibilities of the Internet are outlined below, along with how governments and other parties interested in suicide prevention have responded to this new domain of risk.