10/09/2026
‘Changing the narrative on su***de’
Connected, Yet Alone: Su***de Prevention in the Age of Social Media
By: Dr. Mona Nongmeikapam; Sonia Meitram
We live in an age where reaching someone is easier than ever. A message can travel across continents in seconds. A video call can bring distant faces into our living rooms and social media can make us feel as though we are part of thousands of lives at once. Yet, beneath this constant connectivity, an uncomfortable question remains: ‘Are we actually feeling connected?’
There is increasing evidence that the Internet and social media can influence su***de-related behavior. Well, in ways we can barely fathom. Flashback to a couple of years in midst of our socio-political conflict, we had a child patient who harboured suicidal ideations post separation from his friends due to the growing social unrest. We tried every form of treatment: ice-breaking, medications, family sessions, only to discover to our chagrin that there was a whole big forum on REDDIT cheering him on and giving him ideas and methods to “beat the team” (that was us!). We finally realized that we were up against a much bigger force than a hapless little boy and how social media could actually shape and even fuel suicidal thoughts.
Media influence on su***de is not new though. We have heard of copy-cat su***des (copying a su***de from local knowledge or depictions of the original su***de on television and in other media), su***de contagion (publicized su***de serves as a trigger for the next su***de by a susceptible or suggestible person) and su***de cluster (spread through a school, community or in terms of a celebrity su***de wave) doing the rounds since 1970s though the exact dates of origin cannot be traced. Recall Sushant Singh Rajput’s mysterious death and the gamut it played on the vulnerable public’s mind.
Social media has changed the way we communicate but it has also changed the way we experience loneliness. We can have hundreds or even thousands of followers and still have no one we feel comfortable calling when we are struggling. We may regularly exchange reactions, comments and emojis, while never asking a simple but potentially life changing question: ‘Are you really okay?’
For many people in distress, social media can become both a lifeline and a source of further isolation. Online platforms allow people to find communities, share experiences and discover that they are not alone in what they are going through.
Someone who is not comfortable expressing themselves face-to-face might feel courageous enough to share what they are feeling online. When we share something online, we do not always know who is at the other end, and that distance can make us feel safer. We may feel that the person will not judge us, making it easier to express things we might otherwise keep to ourselves.
But the same platforms can also intensify feelings of inadequacy, rejection and isolation. We constantly encounter carefully edited versions of other people's lives, success, relationships, celebrations, beauty, travel and achievement. When someone is already struggling, comparing their private reality with everyone else's public highlight reel can deepen the feeling that they are falling behind or that their life does not measure up.
A new term has even been coined to denote this new wave. Fear of missing out (FoMO) is a unique term introduced in 2004. FoMO includes two processes; firstly, perception of missing out, followed up with a compulsive behavior to maintain these social connections. Multiple studies have been conducted since, displaying an alarming trend of FOMO affecting mental health, social functioning, sleep, academic performance and productivity, physical wellbeing and giving rise to suicidal behaviour.
There is another, quieter problem. We have become accustomed to communicating distress indirectly. A person may post that they are tired of everything, disappear from social media, share unusually dark content, suddenly withdraw from conversations or repeatedly talk about feeling like a burden. Sometimes these signs are dismissed as attention-seeking or simply another ‘sad post’.
But what if, occasionally, what looks like a post is actually an attempt to be heard?
Su***de prevention cannot depend only on recognising dramatic warning signs. It also requires creating a culture in which people feel safe enough to say, ‘I am not okay’ without being judged, mocked or immediately told to ‘stay positive’.
And this is where our understanding of connection needs to change.
Connection is not measured by the number of people in our contact list. It is the presence of relationships in which we can be vulnerable without feeling ashamed. It is having someone who notices when our behaviour changes, checks in when we withdraw, listens without rushing to offer solutions and stays present when the conversation becomes uncomfortable. Social media can be part of that connection but it cannot replace human presence.
Perhaps one of the simplest things we can do is to look beyond the screen. If someone we know seems different, unusually withdrawn or persistently hopeless, we should not be afraid to ask. Asking someone directly whether they are struggling or thinking about su***de does not ‘put the idea into their head.’ It can instead open a door that they may have been afraid to open themselves. In an age of endless notifications, perhaps su***de prevention begins with something remarkably old-fashioned: noticing another human being, putting the phone down and genuinely asking, ‘Be honest and tell me How are you?’ and then staying long enough to hear the real answer.
The long dragged out legal trial of Lindsay Clancy of Massachusetts should be a lesson for us all. No suicidal thought or behaviour should be deemed trivial. It is and should be treated as a Medical Emergency that it is, to avert drastic, tragic and largely avoidable disasters. Her struggles reportedly began following the birth of her youngest child. She repeatedly sought care, visiting a hospital emergency room, different medical professionals and even calling a su***de hotline. Clancy claims that she experienced hallucinations and delusions before strangling her three children - five-year-old Cora, Dawson, three, and Callan, who was eight months old - and then jumping from a second-floor window, leaving her paralysed. The causes for the su***de can be many, the prevention only one- prompt proactive prevention.
Su***de is a major public health challenge, claiming the lives of more than 720 000 people every year. Each life lost has profound social, emotional, and economic consequences, deeply affecting families, friends, workplaces, and entire communities around the world. 2026 marks the third and final year of the triennial theme for World Su***de Prevention Day (2024–2026), Changing the Narrative on Su***de, with the call to action: Start the Conversation. This theme calls on us all to challenge harmful myths, reduce stigma, and foster open, compassionate conversations about su***de. It is about shifting from silence and misunderstanding to openness, empathy, and support, creating environments where people feel able to speak up and seek help.
Changing the narrative also means driving systemic change. It calls for su***de prevention and mental health to be a priority in public policy, urging governments and institutions to take action. This includes developing and implementing evidence-based strategies, improving access to quality care, and ensuring that those in distress receive the support they need.
For English content, follow us on Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/the_sangai_express/
Please share your thoughts respectfully; avoid spam, communal remarks, or hurtful comments.
***dePrevention
