Each of us – community members, survivors, educators, media, advocates, young and old alike – can play a contributing role in changing the statistics and saving lives from suicide. Whether it’s how we report on suicide deaths, or the language we use so we are not shaming survivors or those who have attempted and are contributing to a more open, impactful dialogue, we can all make a positive difference in suicide prevention. Explore the links below to learn more.
There may come a time when you encounter an individual who is expressing thoughts of suicide on your social media sites. You can help by posting a message encouraging them to call 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also help by contacting the safety teams on the various social media sites.
Take the time to familiarize yourself with these processes now, so that if the time comes when you encounter an individual who is suicidal, you will know how to report the individual and get him/her help.
Talking about suicide can be very difficult for many people. It can be a scary, uncomfortable topic to tackle, but it’s an important one! Having the conversation about suicide and building awareness about the warning signs could save someone’s life. We want to make sure that safe, effective messaging is used.
We believe in people first language, and hope that others become more cognizant of using this type of language whenever talking about individuals who may be experiencing a variety of situations. In this instance, if someone is suicidal or having suicidal thoughts, that would come after the individual. For example, use “an individual who is suicidal”. First and foremost, the person is still a person, and the suicidal ideation is something they are experiencing, not something that defines them. We use similar language when referring to someone with a mental illness of any type. For example, use “someone with bipolar disorder” or “an individual with depression” – not a bipolar individual or depressed individual.
It has long been said that someone “commits” suicide. Again, this is not language that we encourage in our suicide prevention efforts. Saying someone commits suicide implies they have committed a crime or a sin. Instead, we encourage language such as “died by suicide.” We also do not recommend common language that has been used referring to a successful suicide or failed attempt. No death is a success.
While some may feel this language is insignificant and doesn’t matter, we disagree. Language is powerful, and we encourage anyone discussing suicide and practicing in this area to use that power for good and to help change years of inappropriate language.
More than 50 research studies worldwide have found that certain types of news coverage can increase the likelihood of suicide in vulnerable individuals. The magnitude of the increase is related to the amount, duration, and prominence of coverage.
Risk of additional suicides increases when the story explicitly describes the suicide method, uses dramatic/graphic headlines or images, and repeated/extensive coverage sensationalizes or glamorizes a death. Suicide Contagion, or “Copycat Suicide,” occurs when one or more suicides are reported in a way that contributes to another suicide.
Follow these best practices when reporting on suicide:
For additional best practices, visit: nimh.nih.gov or reportingonsuicide.org
Resource: Reporting on Suicide 2015
