Suicide Prevention Month Kick-Off
Stephanie Weatherly, DNP, PMH RN-BC, FACHE 
Chief Clinical Officer 
September 1, 2021 Today kicks off Suicide Prevention Month. Every year, I look forward to September because of the amazing work we do to raise awareness of suicide risk behaviors and assist in suicide prevention in our communities. Unfortunately, the statistics remain sobering, and I will get into those in the coming weeks. This week I wanted to start with the power of language and communicate our messages to our communities this year.
In the past, some ways that people who died by suicide were reported on the news and in communities led to an increase in suicide deaths. We know that the way we communicate can escalate or deescalate a situation. The Suicide Prevention Research Center reviewed decades of research on this subject and provided us with these suggestions in communicating about suicide.
When providing public communication, remember these items:
- Portray help-seeking as a reasonable action.
- Provide resources people can choose to reach out for support.
- Give people who are willing to help others something to do.
- While you may want to communicate the issue’s importance, be careful not to normalize suicide.
- Emphasize that suicide can be prevented and treated successfully.
- Help distressed individuals to feel competent that they can do what needs to be done.
- Avoid giving very specific details of the tragedy.
Here are language substitutions we can make:
| Say this | Instead of this |
|---|---|
| Died of suicide | Committed suicide |
| Suicide death | Successful attempt |
| Suicide attempt | Unsuccessful attempt |
| A person living with suicidal thoughts or behavior | Suicide ideator or attempter |
| Suicide | Completed suicide |
| (Describe the behavior) | Manipulative, cry for help, or suicidal gesture |
| Working with | Dealing with suicidal crisis |
The work we do is so important. I look forward to seeing the amazing outreach work you will be doing this month.
I wanted to share a free training called Insights and Strategies for Reducing Suicide among Older Adults. You can read more about it and register by clicking the link.
Thank you for all you do to protect and improve the lives of so many!
If you or someone you know is in need of a behavioral health placement, behavioral health referral, or experiencing a mental health emergency or crisis, please do not use this website. Instead, use these crisis resources to speak with someone now or access local support.