Who Goes Online for Suicide-Related Reasons? A Comparison of Suicidal People Who Use the Internet for Suicide-Related Reasons and Those Who Do Not

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although people who use the Internet for suicide-related reasons have been found to report significantly higher levels of suicidal ideation, little is known about the characteristics of these users. AIMS: To examine the differences between suicidal people who use the Internet for suicide-related reasons and those who do not. METHOD: Participants were 205 Australian citizens and permanent residents aged 18-24 years who had felt suicidal within the past year. Participants were recruited online through non-mental health-related websites and asked to complete an anonymous online survey. RESULTS: In univariate analyses, suicide-related users reported significantly higher levels of soc..