Parasuicide Online: can Suicide Websites Trigger Suicidal Behaviour in Predisposed Adolescents?

The present case report describes a 17-year-old female who explicitly visited suicide web forums, where she researched reliable suicide methods, contacted an anonymous use & purchased substances for the implementation of suicide. The risk of Internet use by vulnerable youth is discussed. Psychiatric exploration should include questions of manner & frequency of media use. The application of media guidelines for suicide prevention is demanded for websites, as are accessible self-help sites for suicidal persons targeted to youthful users. (23 refs)