Reasons Why I'm Still Going To Finish Watching 13 Reasons Why

It's definitely not a How-To-Guide on dealing with suicide.

1. It's not a How-To-Guide

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The show wasn't made to guide us through dealing with things like suicide, depression, and bullying. Frankly, I don't know anyone who would blatantly recommend suicide but to first leave behind detailed tapes for every one who has wronged you.

2. 13 Reasons Why highlights why our actions and how we treat others matters

The show really brings to light how all the things that happened to Hannah affected her. Characters say she over reacted or faced nothing other teenage girls did, but we see that these things have impact. We are responsible for our actions and we have to accept that. Even if they seem small, they can have consequences.

3. The people Hannah left behind

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There are people in Hannah's life that were obviously affected by her death. Yes, some of those people made mistakes. I think we see, though, that there were a few people who wish she had reached out to them. Maybe, we all have at least 1 person we could reach out to too.

4. It's a wake up call

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The mistakes we see people make in the show highlight reality. Just because you seek help or treatment, doesn't mean you get it and are magically cured right away. I hope this wakes schools, parents, and society up to this issue. My high school didn't go out of its way to let students know it was a resource for them when it came to mental health, bullying, stalking, etc either. They should strive to be that caring resource for teens.

5. It starts the conversation

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Yes, this show doesn't teach us how to deal with the issues whether they're affecting us or people close to us. 13 Reasons Why does start a conversation about suicide, though. I sat and watched this show wanting to scream, "No, stop reach out to them, talk to them". The characters make mistakes. It's easy to ask one question about how someone is feeling or say "keep in touch". It's easy to watch people do the perfect thing that Hannah needs then to turn off the TV and think "yup, that's what I'd do" and not. That's because the easy thing is to do nothing. This show shows us all the opportunities for things to go right instead of wrong, because we need to know that it's up to us. We can't rely on someone else to do it, if you're concerned you have to act on that.

6. Our experiences are our own

No two people experience the same thing in the same way. We all have totally different life experiences, it's just not possible. I think 13 Reasons Why doesn't address mental health head on because we're not actually in Hannah's head experiencing her life. We're experiencing the narrative she left behind. We know what she tells us, but we cannot define her feelings or her situation. Someone telling you they're depressed is wildly different than you up and deciding they are and forcing it like a label upon them.

7. 13 Reasons Why is unrealistic but also not

This show really feeds into that human desire to understand other peoples' actions. Death from suicide can be hard for people to accept if they don't know why. Did you not love them enough? Did something happen to them? What were they feeling? We crave to know these things but it'd be a million times better to ask these questions while that person is still with you.

In conclusion, it's just a show.

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So many things can be problematic, almost no television program is perfect. At the end of the day, there are different ways to perceive this show and it's purpose. The content is sensitive and triggering. People will experience it differently based on their experiences. Whether or not someone else thinks it's trash, I'm following it through to the end because the book was near and dear to my heart when I was having a hard time.

National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.