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Selfitis: An obsessive compulsive disorder of taking too many selfies

June 29, 2015

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By NewsGram Staff Writer

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has officially deemed taking selfies as a “mental disorder”.

The APA made this classification during its annual board of directors meeting in Chicago recently. Giving the name “selfitis” to the disorder, the APA defined the disorder as a type of an obsessive compulsive disorder to take one’s own pictures and post them on social media. They also stated that this condition is a mechanism used by people to make up for their low self esteem and increase intimacy with other people.

According to the APA, there are three levels of selfitis,

Borderline Selfitis: Taking selfies at least three times a day, but not posting them on the social media.
Acute Selfitis: Taking selfies at least three times a day, and sharing them all on social media.
Chronic Selfitis: It is defined as an uncontrollable urge to take one’s own pictures round the clock and posting them on social media platforms more than six times a day.

Recently, the term “Selfitis” also made it into the Oxford Dictionary of English according to a website.

Makati City, a city in Philippines was named the “selfie capital of the world” by Time magazine recently. This news of selfies being looked at as a mental disorder, might make things dismal for this Filipino city.

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‘Don’t Sensationalize or Glamorize Suicide’ Asserts WHO ; Says Media Can Play a Significant Role in Preventing Suicides

WHO scientists assert that journalists can help overcome this taboo by encouraging people to seek help and to speak openly about their distress

NewsGram

September 11, 2017

Geneva, September 11, 2017 : The World Health Organization reports about 800,000 people commit suicide every year. To mark this year’s World Suicide Prevention Day (September 10), WHO is stressing the important role the media can play in stopping people from taking their own lives.

Worldwide, every 40 seconds, someone takes their own life. The World Health Organization reports for every suicide, 20 others, mainly young people, attempt to take their own lives. WHO says suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15 to 29 year olds.

It finds most suicides, more than 78 percent, occur in low-and middle-income countries and risk factors include mental disorders, particularly depression and anxiety resulting from alcohol use.

WHO cites growing evidence that the media can play a significant role in preventing suicide by reporting responsibly on these tragedies.

Scientist in WHO’s department of mental health and substance abuse, Alexandra Fleischmann tells VOA people are often reluctant to talk about suicide because of the stigma attached. She says journalists can help to overcome this taboo by encouraging people to seek help and to speak openly about their distress.

“It is also important to stress that the encouragement to work with the media and not just to talk about the don’ts. Don’t put it in the headlines,” she said. “Don’t put the picture of the person who died. Don’t sensationalize it. Don’t glamorize it.”

WHO warns irresponsible reporting of this sort often can trigger copycat suicides or increase the risk.

The UN health agency reports the most common methods of suicide are self-poisoning with pesticide and firearms. It says many of these deaths could be prevented by restricting access to these means. (VOA)