An Analysis of the Language of Suicidal Thoughts and Attempts on Social Media Platforms through the Lens of the ‘Interpersonal Theory of Suicide’

Pattama Patpong; Muthita Charoensak

Authors

Pattama Patpong
Muthita Charoensak

Keywords:

depression, major depressive disorder, suicidal behaviors, Interpersonal Theory of Suicide, social media

Abstract

Language is an essential means to communicate and express how people think or feel. This study aimed to investigate if suicide-related behaviors can be evidenced by linguistic signs in posts on social media platforms. A total of 490 posts from 17 bloggers who had depressive episodes were analyzed. The analysis was based on Systemic Functional Linguistics (Halliday & Matthiessen, 2004) and the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (Joiner, 2005) frameworks. According to the results, the presence of language related to perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and acquired capability was found. Feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, and emptiness were also reported in the data. These aspects were stated by bloggers in both explicit and implicit ways and could be identified using some linguistic indicators at word level, group level, and clause level. Three patterns of social media posts were revealed: stressed posting, triggering posting, and problem posting. Increased understanding of the language of suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts is helpful for family and friends as well as medical practitioners in detecting or in dealing with suicidal thoughts and/or behaviors, and in averting the occurrence and/or recurrence of suicide attempts.

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