Copycat suicide

Sometimes, after a person commits suicide (kills themself), other people will copy them and also kill themselves. This is called copycat suicide. People may commit copycat suicide after a person they know commits suicide, or after hearing about a suicide through television or other media.

After a famous suicide, there may be more copycat suicides. This is called the Werther effect. Sudden rises in copycat suicides can spread through a home, schools, or even across an entire country. These are called cluster suicides.