Recommended Word Choice When Speaking About Suicide

National safe suicide messaging guidelines include encouraging stories of hope, resilience, and help-seeking while discouraging the sensationalism of the details of a person’s suicide, or any messaging that depicts suicide as an epidemic or inevitable. Unsafe messaging leads to contagion, which is the opposite of our intended effect.

Helpful Info

Your Words Matter

Leaders Suicide Prevention Safe Messaging Guide

Talking About Suicide Online

Social Media Reporting

Support Team

Psych Performance Team:

301-677-0646

KACC BH Clinic: 301-677-8895

CH: 301-395-1248

SPPM: 301-256-3503

Check the Connect to Care Portal for the printable toolkit.

When Describing:

Individuals who have experienced suicidal thoughts, feelings and actions, to include suicide attempts

Say This...

-Attempt Survivors

-People with lived experience

Do NOT Say This

-They were unsuccessful at suicide

-They had a failed or incomplete suicide attempt

-Anything that indicates weakness or cowardice

When Describing:

When referring to the act of suicide during which a person survives the attempt

Say This...

-Attempted suicide

-Non-fatal suicide attempt

Do NOT Say This

-Failed suicide attempt

-Incomplete suicide

-Unsuccessful suicide

When Describing:

The individual who died by suicide and/or the suicide event

Say This...

-Use the person's name

-Died by/from suicide

-Death by suicide

-Suicide death

-Killed him/herself

-Took his/her life

Do NOT Say This

Do not:

-Sensationalize or glorify suicide

-Discuss the suicide event in detail

-Discuss the content of a suicide note

-Say the act was inevitable, cowardly or selfish

Do not use the terms:

-Completed suicide

-Successful suicide

-Commit or committed suicide

When Describing:

Individuals who lost a friend or loved one to suicide

Say This...

-Survivor of suicide

-Suicide survivor

-Suicide loss survivor

Do NOT Say This

-Anything to indicate guilt or culpability

Recommended Word Choice When Speaking About Suicide

When Describing:

Say This...

Do NOT Say This

When Describing:

Say This...

Do NOT Say This

When Describing:

Say This...

Do NOT Say This

When Describing:

Say This...

Do NOT Say This

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