Source: Matthew Baxter, used with permission Mental health and suicide have been in the news a lot of late, although sometimes the media is lacking sensitivity in the language used to talk about these important topics.
Recently, country music legend Naomi Judd died by suicide at the age of 76 following a longtime battle with mental illness. Unfortunately, several news sources chose to refer to her passing with outdated terminology, reporting that Judd had "committed suicide."
The language of mental illness and taboo
The language of mental illness is surrounded by taboo, shame, and stigma. The terminology used to talk about suicide is a good example of this. The act of suicide carries historical connotations of dishonor, sin, and illegality. In the past, suicide was a criminal act in many countries, which is still reflected in the phrase “committed suicide.” This presents a problem, because the term continues to imply criminality through its resemblance to phrases like "committed rape" and “committed murder.” For these reasons, "committed suicide" is considered to be outdated and offensive and is best avoided.
Insensitivity in language use
The beauty brand Ulta came under fire recently for a promotional email that read, "Come hang with Kate Spade," to promote that company's line of perfumes. There was a backlash from customers who saw in the newsletter's subject line a connection to the designer's death. In 2018, the 55-year-old designer died in her apartment and her death was ruled a suicide. Spade's husband later revealed that she had suffered from anxiety and depression for many years.
Ulta quickly issued an apology for the incident. "Ulta Beauty recently sent an email featuring Kate Spade New York Fragrance where a very insensitive choice of words was used by mistake. For this, we are deeply sorry,” the company said in a statement. “This was a mistake, does not reflect our values and we are taking steps to ensure it does not happen again."
Ulta assured the public this incident was a mistake; however, others are deliberately offensive about this sensitive topic. There are trivializing names for people who attempt suicide, including “jumper,” a person who attempts suicide by jumping from a high place, such as a bridge or skyscraper. People who die by suicide are often labeled as “victims” and unfairly judged as “cowards,” “weak,” “selfish,” or “attention-seeking.”
Medical terminology and preferred language
Some offensive language regarding suicide comes from within the mental health industry. For example, “unsuccessful suicide” means the patient survived a suicide attempt, while “successful suicide” means the patient died, and both terms portray suicide as “success.” “Failed attempt at suicide” presents survival as failure, so “attempted suicide” is now the preferred term. It is also considered disparaging to label someone “suicidal,” so the preferred term is “a person with thoughts of suicide.”
Mental health advocates ask that we eschew terms like "committed suicide." They suggest that we use more accurate and compassionate terminology instead, such as “died by suicide,” because the phrase avoids judgment.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and a time to raise awareness of those living with mental health issues and to help reduce the stigma so many experience.
THE BASICSIf you live in the U.S. and are having suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 for free and confidential support. It's open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For crisis support in Spanish, call 888-628-9454.
To find a therapist, please visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.