Story highlights Posting online is more familiar for some, especially younger people, than picking up the phone

Reddit's Suicide Watch is an example of how social media can be supportive

Volunteers delete comments and ban trolls that are deemed threatening

There are hotlines and emergency therapists available for someone who is struggling with suicidal thoughts. But picking up a phone and talking to someone is an action many people — especially younger people — are becoming less familiar with in our everyday lives. Would someone in such a heightened emotional state really think to do so?

Recently, the BBC explored an innovative way of addressing this problem, as well as the emotional consequences for the volunteers involved. Writer Felicity Morse interviewed the moderator of Reddit's Suicide Watch , which follows a simple formula: On the subreddit, posters write about their situation — if they're feeling suicidal, what has pushed them to this state, etc. — and other Redditors reply to them. That's it.

"My first thought on discovering the sub was, 'Oh my god, I've gotta get this shut down' because Reddit is the worst place in the world to do suicide intervention," the moderator, identified only as Laura, told the BBC. "Then I looked into the background of the sub and discovered it had come about because no matter how much we tried to send people elsewhere or discourage people from talking about their thoughts of suicide, it just kept happening."

Laura is a Canadian who, along with a team of other volunteers, has helped man Suicide Watch for five years (the subreddit has been around for six); she also works with a suicide hotline, which means she understands the intricacies of suicide prevention.

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