Young man dies in 'shocking imitation' of 13 Reasons Why.

Content warning: This post contains an account of self-harm which may be triggering for some readers.

A young man in Peru has died by suicide in what has been described as a shocking imitation of the controversial drama series 13 Reasons Why.

Franco Alonso Lazo Medrano, 23, took his own life after shouting “I can’t stand a heartbreak”, according to local news outlet Diario Clarín.

While he survived his initial injuries, he died shortly afterward in the nearby San Juan de Dios hospital, the report said.

Police reportedly found two suicide notes from Lazo Medrano one of which contained an explicit set of instructions to deliver a number of previously recorded cassettes, each labeled with a different name.

The second was a goodbye message for a loved one named Claudia in which he wished her all the best.

While an explicit link between the youth's death and the popular Netflix series cannot be proven, Lazo Medrano's actions are eerily reminiscent of those of the show's lead character Hannah Baker, an American high school student who killed herself and left behind 13 tapes as clues to why.

13 Reasons Why was panned internationally by mental health experts for its irresponsible portrayal of the teenager's suicide, with Australia's own national youth mental health foundation headspace issuing a public warning about it.

“There is a responsibility for broadcasters to know what they are showing and the impact that certain content can have on an audience – and on a young audience in particular,” Head of eheadspace Dr Steven Leicester said in a statement.

Listen: The Binge team argues about whether 13 Reasons Why is powerful or problematic (post continues)... 

“National and international research clearly indicates the very real impact and risk to harmful suicide exposure leading to increased risk and possible suicide contagion," he said.

The huge backlash caused Netflix to subsequently add graphic content warnings to some episodes of the adaptation of Jay Asher‘s best-selling novel, but not before it became the streaming platform's most popular program.

Meanwhile, a second season of the series is currently in production.

If you, or a young person you know, is struggling with symptoms of mental illness please contact your local headspace centre here or chat to them online, here. If you are over the age of 25 and suffering from symptoms of mental illness please contact your local GP for a Mental Health Assessment Plan or call Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14.