Language

 

Suicide is a complex phenomenon which is now recognized to be the result of a mental health condition with a medically treatable cause in at least 90% of cases. A suicidal person cannot think clearly due to the illness they are struggling with. By changing the way we talk about suicide we change the way we think of it. In general, the language used for any other illness based death or sudden loss (such as a heart attack or car accident) is a guiding principle.

In This Section You Will Find:
  • Accurate language recommendations
  • Resources for talking about suicide

 

Toolkit for Mental Health Promotion & Suicide Prevention K-12