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Abstract Abstract: This case study attempted to identify discourse features regarding suicidal tendencies of the depressed. The data analyzed were about 1,000 posts written by Chinese college student “Zoufan” on her two microblog accounts, three months before her suicide. Analytical framework included Kupferberg’s (2012) realis and irrealis worlds, and DSM diagnostic standards for depression disorder (2013). It was found that “Zoufan” had repeatedly expressed her depression, suicidal tendencies, and ambivalent desires for life and death. Common discourse features included 1) the overlapping between the realis and irrealis worlds, 2) decontextualized and fragmented expressions; 3) content in agreement with diagnostic features of the depression disorder; 4) frequent use of metaphors and images of death. In addition, differences are found between the more public account and the more private one. For example, the expression of suicidal tendencies is more obscure in the public one and more direct in the private one. The study has implications for discourse research related to crisis identification and the practice of crisis intervention.
Key words: suicide; discourse; microblog; crisis identification; crisis intervention
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