Mindframe provide guidance on:
- the preferred words to use when talking about suicide
- providing help-seeking information
- appropriate media reporting of suicide and mental illness
Information on each of these is provided in this article.
Preferred language when talking about suicide
| Issue | Problematic | Preferred |
| Presenting suicide as a desired outcome | ‘successful suicide’, ‘unsuccessful suicide’ | ‘died by suicide’, ‘took their own life’ |
| Associating suicide with crime or sin | ‘committed suicide’, ‘commit suicide’ | ‘took their own life’, ‘suicide death’ |
| Sensationalising suicide | ‘suicide epidemic’ | ‘increasing rates’, ‘higher rates’ |
| Language glamourising a suicide attempt | ‘failed suicide’, ‘suicide bid’ | ‘suicide attempt’, ‘non-fatal attempt’ |
| Gratuitous use of the term ‘suicide’ | ‘political suicide’, ‘suicide mission’ | refrain from using the term suicide out of context |
Source: Mindframe, https://mindframe.org.au/suicide/communicating-about-suicide/language, July 2021
What sort of help-seeking information should be included?
- two support services that operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- provide direct links to services in online content
- include information around at least one online support service or forum
- other service contacts where people can get information
- include relevant information to the particular content, e.g. demographic, state or cultural diversity.
The Mindframe Support Services information card can be downloaded here.
Useful resources
Talking about mental ill-health
Mindframe guidance – Communicating about mental ill-health
Mindframe guidance – Communicating about suicide Mindframe guidelines – Reporting suicide and mental ill-health: A Mindframe resource for media professionals