Many parents are questioning whether or not to let their sons and daughters watch the Netflix series “13 Reasons Why”. There have been many concerns raised about the effects this series, that deals with suicide, bullying, sexual abuse and other subjects, can have on our youth.
Lesley Smyth is a Clinical Therapist and she says parents should sit down and watch the show with their kids, “You have to be a part of the conversation. It really gives off a strong, strong message and how they glamorize and glorify suicide, really making that appear to be a good option for revenge.”
Smyth says research shows that explicit imagery, like what is shown in this program, can trigger more thoughts, “When youth know more details, youth really grab hold of that, and you see somewhat of a mirroring effect. It really does trigger more suicidal thoughts, especially for those youth who are already vulnerable.”
She also recommends this program only for youth who are of high school age.
With all of the concerns being raised, Netflix now has additional warnings before each episode of the series.
