Yellow September:
Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month
A neuropsychologist’s perspective on the intersection of technology, isolation, and suicide prevention
Digital spaces often lack clear moral frameworks, think a little about the following questions
What’s private versus public?
What’s authentic versus performative?
How do traditional relationship rules apply to online connections?
This is particularly challenging for adolescents, whose brains are literally still building the regulatory systems they’ll use throughout adulthood.
The constant decision fatigue of navigating unclear digital norms actually creates higher cognitive loads that then exhaust the available cognitive resources needed for emotional regulation and decision-making.
So how do we regulate?
Well currently, these are a few things that Open Ai has suggested. I have added a thought after each one in brackets.
Enhanced crisis detection, by implementing better recognition of suicide-related queries.
(I question what the better recognition training would be.)
Parental controls, these are tools for parents to monitor and limit children’s interactions.
(I question how effective these actually are, and let’s add another full time job to overwhelmed parents)
Having emergency contacts, there would be options to connect users with available human crisis resources.
(How would these resources be categorised? By country, language, socioeconomic status?)
Improved safety training, by implementing robust systems to maintain safety over extended conversations.
(What exactly are the robust systems?)
It’s a start but not enough, as they are just vague ideas without real concrete and oversight to actually see if these suggested changes will work. And it also gives the onus back to the family, vis a vis the parental controls, cause we all know how well they work in the systems that offer them. It also offers to connect users with available human crisis resources, which are already overwhelmed, and undertrained to cope with the digital crisis at hand.
My opinion is that this seems to be a way of placating the grief stuck, whilst removing any real sense of responsibility, by doing the least amount possible?
The crisis is real. The statistics are stark. But solutions exist. They demand action.
If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out:
Brazil: CVV – 188
USA: Lifeline – 988
UK: Samaritans – 116 123
International: findahelpline.com
Remember: you are not alone, and help is always available.
Onwards towards Part 8.
the Clinical Insights Blog by Stephanie and edited by Michael
With A little AI and OI | @smithclinic.eng
