Representing Teenage Suicide and Mental Health in Contemporary American Fiction: An Analysis of the Series 13 Reasons Why (2017) and Euphoria (2019)

Abstract

[eng] In 21st-century America, youth is in an extremely vulnerable state. The over exposure to technology and social media has caused a spike in negative self-image among adolescents, thus causing issues with mental health at alarming rates across the country. Because schools, families, and health professionals are struggling to manage these issues, some teenagers feel as though there is no other choice but to take their own lives. The current mental health crisis in the United States is crippling our teens and robbing them of the opportunity to live a long, healthy life. This essay will analyze how the current suicide crisis amongst young people is reflected in popular American fiction through social media and cyber-bullying. I will look closely at the current mental health crisis as it pertains to adolescents and their exposure to social media with the goal of connecting these findings to the representation of teen mental health and suicide in the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why (2017) and the HBO series Euphoria (2019). Since their release, the two series have been both praised and criticized for their representation of adolescents in modern America. The conversation of teens and suicide ideation has also been linked to the two series and will also be part of this research. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the portrayal of mental health and suicide in the two series’ mirrors the reality of the current mental health crisis that is everpresent in the the lives of young people in the United States and, based on the findings, what the consequences are for the effect that these series have on American society. Additionally, the intent is to continue the discourse surrounding the negative influence of social media on the overall mental health of adolescents. This research also offers insight on some of the steps being taken to manage the mental health crisis, and findings on how these steps are working in the current climate.