Media contagion and self-immolation in Odisha: An emerging public health concern

To the Editor, Self-immolation is a method of suicide by burning oneself, often reported in the context of protest.1 Self-immolation has deep roots in ancient socio-cultural practices and religious traditions. A notable example is the story of “Sati,” the devoted wife of Lord Shiva. In a dramatic act of defiance against her father, Daksha Prajapati, who publicly insulted her husband, Sati chose to sacrifice her own life by igniting herself on a Yagna pyre (a sacred fire). This powerful act of self-immolation was a profound statement against familial dishonor and an expression of unwavering devotion.1,2 Throughout history, similar instances of self-immolation have surfaced in various cultures, including Indian, Buddhist, and Western contexts, often serving as a poignant form of protest against injustice or oppression, highlighting the intense personal and societal struggles involved.2,3 In India, the legal framework explicitly prohibits any form of abetment or glorification of the sati tradition, which involves the ritual of a widow self-immolating on her husband’s funeral pyre. This prohibition aims to safeguard individual rights and protect women from practices that are considered harmful and oppressive.2 The dramatic nature of self-immolation often catches public attention. Suicide often catches the media’s attention easily. When a suicide or suicide attempt is done in a more horrific manner in public as a protest, the attention and publicity garnered by the media to such incidents is intense. The majority of the suicide stories reported by the media in South-East Asia are found to be sensational, provocative, and deviating from the norms recommended by national and international guidelines.4 Evidence supports that sensational media reporting invokes the risk of imitative suicide (suicide contagion) very often.5 Hence, there is a need for responsible media reporting to prevent the suicide contagion, which researchers and policymakers have emphasized from time to time. Recently, a horrific and sensational act of self-immolation was done by a student in the Balasore district of Odisha (an eastern coastal state of India) as a protest a university teacher for alleged sexual harassment. In the subsequent three weeks, several other incidents of death due to self-immolation and threat of suicide by self-immolation have been reported from Odisha state, by the national and local media Table 1. Though suicide by self-immolation is a rare phenomenon, an act of self-immolation sensationalized by the media may trigger imitative suicidal behavior. Further, sensational reporting of the incident by the media may glorify the act of suicide, which is again a serious violation of the law related to suicide prevention.Table 1: Recent stories of self-immolation in OdishaSelf-immolation-related suicides happen largely in the context of protest, with perceived human rights violations. Hence, addressing the human rights issues and providing social justice by considering the underlying issues of protest, may help in the prevention of self-immolation.1 To prevent suicide contagion, the media must avoid emphasizing the demographic details, such as age and gender of the deceased and the nature of stressors, as both may promote identification with the deceased. The suicide method itself should also not be highlighted to prevent copycat suicide. There is a need to conduct an interim audit of the published media reports against the media reporting guidelines, and provide timely feedback to the media administration to improve the quality of media reporting on suicide. It has been reported that dramatic portrayal of suicide facilitates suicide contagion (Werther effect), whereas sensible reporting of suicide helps in suicide prevention (Papageno effect).6 Suicide contagion by use of hydrogen sulfide gas in Japan spread like a chain reaction in 2008.7,8 Such, horrific chains need to be prevented and media plays a key role in such prevention. Implementation of localized translation and distribution of guidelines can be carried out by the state’s information department in collaboration with journalist associations. This may include organizing sensitization workshops specifically designed for reporters who work in vernacular languages to enhance their understanding and reporting skills. Additionally, there is a need for regular content audits, accompanied by constructive feedback mechanisms, facilitated by the State Mental Health Authority to ensure continuous improvement and adherence to best practices in mental health reporting. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.