Suicide and the internet

Introduction: Suicide is a complex key public health issue, with almost 1 million deaths by suicide each year. Recently, there has been much interest in the role of the Internet in suicide, with both potential benefits and risks proposed for the use of the Internet by those experiencing suicidal ideation

Aims: This review aimed to conduct an updated search of the literature for qualitative and mixed-methods research that addressed how people used the Internet for suicide-related purposes, and the responses to this from other Internet users
Method: A systematic literature search was carried out on four databases. Twenty papers were considered relevant and quality appraisal and a thematic synthesis was carried out on these

Key Findings: Key themes included finding a sense of community, help-seeking, researching suicide, suicide communication, provision of support, construction of a suicidal identity and suicide baiting

Implications: Clinical implications included the need for clinicians to ask about suicide-related Internet use. Research implications included the need for research focusing on social media, and for research into acceptability and efficacy of online interventions