It has become a social norm for teenagers and young adults to have a Tumblr account (move over Facebook), but do they really know what lies beneath the 'reblogging' of all those trendy posts? Depending on the kinds of blog you follow, you get to look at different types of posts ranging from comedy content to fashion to even food posts from these blogs. But it's not all good stuff in there.
Despite the positive coexistence of social networking and microblogging, Tumblr has become a usual platform for teens to post substantial amount of suicide notes. Tumblr bloggers are posting/reblogging suicidal thoughts at an overwhelming rate; setting other Tumblr users on edge and the authorities on high alert.
Tumblr now has a SUICIDE WATCH tab and blog where users can report the URLs of blogs that have suicidal content in them. Tumblr Suicide Watch helps victims who have suicidal thoughts and helps the community to prevent even more deaths amongst the youths.
Posts such as these are pretty much common in Tumblr:
Or these:
And these:
Also those from the ones claiming to have thought about death e v e r y d a y.
Just look at the amount of reblogs and likes:
It's time to THINK and REFLECT. Why is it that the society seems to be the one that engulfed a whole load of kids to the ground? Why is it more prevalent despite the actions taken to prevent suicides?
The reason? Simple.
It's the need to love and be loved in return.
As cliche as it may seem, LOVE is what every single being needs to be able to feel like they belong. Show a little love; a simple hi will turn that frown upside down. A simple hug will brighten a student's gloomy Monday. A simple joke will let him laugh away his pain.
Everyone should learn to love. Make peace, not war.
You know it's TOO MUCH when you hear people say that all these suicide thoughts are "totally normal". It may seem crazy to some but there are those who think that suicidal thoughts are pretty darn normal and "satisfying".
The amount of influence these posts have on our local youths are alarming with 19-year-old *Alicia saying she feels like she belongs online with these people as it offers her a sense of belonging.
She said: "Sometimes life is just too stressful, and I see these posts and I feel like I genuinely understand what those people are going through and I feel better because I am not alone. It's not trying to seek attention or just being stupid. It's a serious matter and sometimes the thoughts in my head are strong enough to want me to do it but I never had the courage. It's a pity."
Another 19-year-old, *Nicole said: "I am a lesbian and I used to have suicidal thoughts in Secondary school because I felt nobody will accept me for who I am. I starve myself. I take pills. I taped my room shut and gas myself but never succeeded to end my life. I just felt so sad then that I wasn't able to show people who I truly was. The girl I loved rejected me then so I wanted to just... die."
*Nicole is now a survivor and is happy studying in a Polytechnic with friends who truly love her for who she is.
She added: "Youths rely on social networking blog sites such as Tumblr to genuinely look for a reason to live. If they are dead set on taking their lives, they would do it. If they post it up, they are most probably still unsure or hesitant."
For a mental note, the video below shows the prevalence of negligence in mankind which created the sadness and grief within them, leaving death as a final option.
"You think you die alone, but that's not true. Nobody is alone in this world."
*Names changed for personal reasons.
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