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He was a Sergeant of Marines. He gave the best hugs, he had the brightest smile, and he killed himself in 2019.
His son turns 3 this year.
Joking about suicide within #horsetwitter is damaging and dangerous and I'm going to address that today https://twitter.com/RealLifeRanch/status/1355037986212118528
His son turns 3 this year.
Joking about suicide within #horsetwitter is damaging and dangerous and I'm going to address that today https://twitter.com/RealLifeRanch/status/1355037986212118528
Suicide is a multifactorial thing, meaning no one situation or experience is the sole cause of ideations or suicide attempts.
Every person who becomes suicidal arrives there by a different path than anybody else.
That being said, we know what a lot of contributing factors are
Every person who becomes suicidal arrives there by a different path than anybody else.
That being said, we know what a lot of contributing factors are
One of those factors, particularly with young people (horse twitter and my Marine friend included), is called suicidal contagion.
Direct or indirect exposure to suicidal behavior increases the suicidal behavior in people already at risk
Direct or indirect exposure to suicidal behavior increases the suicidal behavior in people already at risk
#horsetwitter people frequently post about how they're going to unalive themselves.
I see it multiple times a week, often through retweets.
Suicidal people see this too.
I see it multiple times a week, often through retweets.
Suicidal people see this too.
Posting "I just want to kms" DIRECTLY displays suicidal behavior to people already at risk. It doesn't matter that you're joking or you're coping with gallows humor.
You directly contribute to the increased suicidal behavior of others in your social group by doing that.
Why?
You directly contribute to the increased suicidal behavior of others in your social group by doing that.
Why?
Why does one person joking about killing themselves become so risky within a social group?
Because humans are social animals. We want to be like people we empathize with and look up to.
We try to behave like the people around us.
Because humans are social animals. We want to be like people we empathize with and look up to.
We try to behave like the people around us.
After Robin Williams died, the CDC tracked a 10% increase in suicides by the same demographic (middle aged men) and via the same method.
People saw themselves in him, and therefore saw taking their own lives through him.
People saw themselves in him, and therefore saw taking their own lives through him.
Suicidal contagion is more likely to appear in at-risk people who already empathize with the person making "unaliving myself" jokes.
So the accounts with big follower counts who casually joke about it?
Yeah.
That ripple effect will have impacts you won't even know about.
So the accounts with big follower counts who casually joke about it?
Yeah.
That ripple effect will have impacts you won't even know about.
Do jokes about killing yourself normalize the important discussions surrounding suicide?
No. They normalize reacting to situations with thoughts about suicide.
Why?
Because suicidal people don't see it as a joke.
No. They normalize reacting to situations with thoughts about suicide.
Why?
Because suicidal people don't see it as a joke.
"I had a bad day and I want to die lol" might be 
quirky from your perspective and to somebody already struggling, it's a casual reminder that, oh yeah, suicide's an option.
quirky from your perspective and to somebody already struggling, it's a casual reminder that, oh yeah, suicide's an option.
Suicidal ideations are too risky for y'all to be kidding about. By joking about it, you contribute to hiding everybody else's cry for help.
You muddy the waters, you turn it into a fun little haha moment, you make it that much harder for somebody who wants to die to get help
You muddy the waters, you turn it into a fun little haha moment, you make it that much harder for somebody who wants to die to get help
Social groups, being insular by nature, make it hard to tell what behavior is okay and what behavior is not.
So if the popular kids joke about it, it becomes the Done Thing. It becomes Okay and Normal.
Do you REALLY think it's okay or normal? Truly?
So if the popular kids joke about it, it becomes the Done Thing. It becomes Okay and Normal.
Do you REALLY think it's okay or normal? Truly?
If you're actually contemplating suicide, that is your number one cue to start asking around for help. Expressing ideations through the cover of "humor" is itself a cry for help.
If you're joking about it because you think it's funny, you're a heartless, unempathetic person.
If you're joking about it because you think it's funny, you're a heartless, unempathetic person.
Your social support network is always going to be your first line of defense.
If your social support network likes to react to minor things with "well I guess I'm just going to die then", it's really easy to figure out what your kneejerk reaction might become.
If your social support network likes to react to minor things with "well I guess I'm just going to die then", it's really easy to figure out what your kneejerk reaction might become.
People who do not deal with ideations have no right to joke about having them.
People who have ideations must understand that while they are not alone in it, they can easily contribute to another person getting worse without ever meaning to.
No human is an island.
People who have ideations must understand that while they are not alone in it, they can easily contribute to another person getting worse without ever meaning to.
No human is an island.
