A Florida teen who intentionally overdosed streamed his death on the Internet while it occurred Wednesday.
Others watched online. This is such a sad, disturbing event, on so many different levels.
It is sad that someone would do this over a live feed on the Internet. That just goes to show you that this teenager was crying out in pain for attention and and much needed help. The teen had reportedly announced his intentions on a bodybuilding chat forum and left a suicide note. With the video still streaming, viewers eventually called the local police, who broke down the door, found the body and switched off the camera.
Up to 1,500 people were viewing, according to one report.
Abraham Biggs was not the first person to commit suicide with a web cam rolling.
But the drawn-out drama — and the reaction of those watching — was seen as an extreme example of young people‘s penchant for sharing intimate details about themselves over the Internet.
Last year a British man hanged himself live on web cam. His suicide was witnessed by about 100 chat room users. According to one charity that works to prevent suicide, there have been at least 17 deaths in Britain since 2001 involving chat rooms or sites that give advice on suicide methods. A small group of parents and professionals concerned over the number of teen suicides in Juneau, Alaska grew over the past year into a task force that is using volunteerism and a state grant to address the problem. Alaska's suicide rate is two times the national average - one of the highest in the country.
Teen suicide became a particular concern in Juneau when, just a few months into the last school year, four teens had taken their own lives.
During a series of meetings with police, psychologists, pastors, school counselors and others, it was determined that eight young adults had committed suicide in the prior 18 months.
I've heard many educators and parents debate over whether or not children who spend a large amount of time using the Internet are losing critical, social skills. Critics argue that Internet use is often used to replace real-life social interaction between young people and causes a lack of ability to relate to others in a healthy manner. After reading the story about the young man who killed himself before an amused, live audience, I've been wondering if this might not be true.
There is one residential treatment center in Utah, that I personally know of, that allows and encourages their students to spend time on MySpace.
They state on their website "Our youth treatment center helps each struggling teen in our center find the worth and value in themselves." I am not sure what their current tuition is, probably somewhere between $5,00 and $7,000, and I have to wonder if parents are really aware that this is part of what they are paying for? The parents whom I assisted in removing their child from that environment were in shock when their daughter's therapist said that even if they, the parents, did not want their daughter on MySpace the program was going to let her engage anyway, as they felt it was "normal" daily activity in a teens' life and needed to happen. Maybe this is how they babysit the kids, at the rate of $165 to $235 per day. What about the kids that had this unhealthy addiction before they came to treatment? It boggles my mind, but is absolutely true, as I spoke to the therapist myself. This will be addressed in the book - One Size Does Not Fit All - Who Knew!
Does repeated Internet use cause people to lose their ability to identify with others? Is there something about the emotional distance from which we can view on line activities that causes a distortion of reality?
I don't have the answers to these questions, however, I think that they are certainly important to consider; particularly when raising and educating children in a culture which is immersed in technology. True, websites themselves are not responsible. We all must be responsible for our own actions, our own safety, and our own lives. Those who have children must take responsibility for them. Those who have a loved one who is in a precarious situation must be the ones who take action to assist them. We cannot child-proof the world.
Personal accountability and responsibility needs to make a comeback in each and very home.
Dore E. Frances, M.A.,A.C.C
TroubledTeenHelp.com
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