Language and attitude toward suicide causes stigma for treatment
By Alexandra Hader | Sep. 18, 2017Suicide is a term riddled with a negative connotation, and yet it is commonplace in society today. The stigma of silence around suicide and the idea that it shouldn’t be talked about can be one of the biggest barriers in effectively preventing suicides and helping a struggling individual seek treatment. One way to combat this is to have less stigmatizing language when addressing suicide and is something that can be practiced in everyday life. Rather than saying someone “committed suicide,” implicating that they are criminal or committed a crime, it’s better to say outright that they “took their own life” or “died by suicide”. It’s also harmful to say things like “successful” or “unsuccessful” or “failed attempt” at suicide, or saying that somebody “finally succeeded in committing suicide.” You don’t want to assign blame or make it seem like suicide is a goal.
