For World Suicide Prevention Day, we’re sharing a special podcast episode, hosted by Dr Sandy Onie exploring the power of responsible media reporting in suicide prevention.
Joining Sandy for this important conversation are special guests Dr Soumitra Pathare, a psychiatrist and Director of the Centre for Mental Health Law & Policy at the Indian Law Society in Pune, whose work focuses on mental health policy, suicide prevention and rights-based care and legislation; and Áine O’Meara, a former producer and media policy specialist who now leads Ireland’s national media and mental health programme, supporting journalists and future content creators to report on mental health responsibly.
This year’s theme, Changing the Narrative on Suicide, feels particularly important when we think about the role of the media. Reporting on suicide isn’t just about getting the facts right. The words we choose, the details we include and the way we tell these stories can influence how people understand suicide and whether they feel able to seek help. That makes responsible reporting much more than a set of media guidelines. It can be part of suicide prevention.
In this episode, we talk about what the evidence tells us, why some approaches to reporting can unintentionally cause harm, and what more responsible and compassionate reporting can look like. We also explore how social media has changed the conversation and why this responsibility no longer sits only with journalists. Anyone who shares a story, posts online or talks about suicide has a part to play.
Changing the narrative doesn’t mean avoiding difficult conversations. It means finding better ways to have them- with care, compassion and evidence.
What if changing the way we talk about suicide could change what someone believes is possible for themselves or for someone they care about?
That’s a conversation worth having.
