Suizid und Internet

The number of people aged 14 and older that use the Internet in
Germany has doubled to 35.7 millions (55.3%) since the year 2000.
The Internet also more and more expands into the domain of
psychiatry and psychotherapy, and is used by psychiatric patients
for information, communication and therapeutic purposes.
Nevertheless, the infinite possibilities of the World Wide Web are
linked with several advantages and disadvantages. Easily accessible
information, numerous opportunities for exchange among like-minded
people and therapeutic support from online therapies are juxtaposed
with such risks as frequently lacking quality and transparency of
the available information, possible enhancement of social
withdrawal and certain Websites concerning suicide. If the
mentioned risks of the Internet rather provoke new problems and
trigger suicidality or if the chance of an easily accessible online
discussion rather results in mental relief cannot be answered
generally.