The Papageno Effect: A Type of Suicide Prevention

It is probably well known that the broadcast in the media of certain types of information provided that a call effect appears, increasing the probability of the emission of a conduct. This is visible, for example, in situations such as violence, some crimes or suicide.

However, the opposite phenomenon also occurs: the issuance of prosocial, positive or hopeful models of conduct and life perspectives (as long as when they are perceived as realistic and make you think) they usually also generate a certain level of imitation that can have a preventive effect of certain behaviors.

The latter is what happens in the case of the so-called Papageno effect., which we are going to talk about throughout this article.

• Related article: "Suicidal thoughts: causes, symptoms and therapy"

Papageno effect: what is it?

The Papageno effect is called the phenomenon whereby exposure to role models and examples of people who initially have claimed take their own life but who have finally renounced that idea and have overcome the crises, anguish or difficulties that caused them in the viewer

a suicide preventive effect.

This also occurs when, although no suicidal intent has been manifested, it is perceived that a person who has suffered great life difficulties or traumatic events similar to their own have managed to get ahead and face the situation successfully and in a positive.

It is about finding a reference, a model that teaches that despite the difficulties, alternatives can always be found, something much more deep and understandable when it is perceived that whoever says it has really gone through a situation similar to his own and has achieved overcome it, sometimes even being able to help the viewer to generate their own overcoming strategies or to try to replicate the one shown in the media.

Although this phenomenon appears when observing examples of similar situations, it can enhance the effect the fact that the person who narrates it is credible and inspires trust, the exposure being useful of cases of people who are referents and with whom the subject feels some kind of identification. In this sense, the exhibition of recognized and loved characters, idols and icons for the person in question can be useful.

However, it must be taken into account that it is also possible that if the person who tells the story of him is a celebrity, it is also possible that the thought that there are differences between said person and the viewer subject (for example, economic capacity), and in this sense it may be more productive to issue cases with which the subject may have a greater ID.

The name of this effect comes from one of the main characters in The magic Flute of Mozart, a humble man who precisely during the work will try to take his own life but to which three spirits or goblins will end up persuading you to abandon your attempt, showing you other alternatives and possibilities.

The important role of the media

The fact that the media have great power is something that is widely known, and this is something that throughout history has often been used both to help society (being an open window to the world around us and helping to propagate values ​​a flexible view of reality and prosocial) as to obtain some kind of benefit or even to manipulate the population.

And it is not only the fact of displaying information, but how it is done or even the type of information that is issued, which can influence both directly and indirectly on our way of thinking.

In the case of the Papageno effect, it is essential to bear in mind that in order to awaken it, it will not be enough to show only the fact that a person has not committed suicide, but what truly protects and prevents suicide is the fact of showing how he has been able to overcome his difficulties subject. It is essential to focus on the existence of alternatives.

The reverse case: the Werther effect

Although the media have a powerful influence in preventing suicide, great caution should be exercised with the type of cases that are issued and how they are issued.

And it is that as we mentioned at the beginning of the article it has also been observed that the issuance of cases of consummated suicide (especially in the case of people highly loved by society), can facilitate suicide in some people. Its about werther effect.

Always be careful not to present suicide as something positive or as a means or use sensationalism, and in case of issuing cases of consummated suicides limit the details (avoid the lurid, do not show images...), do not blame and do not use a position moralist.