10/19/2026
💜 It’s time we stop saying “committed su***de.”
Not because we want to police anyone’s words or make someone feel bad for using a phrase they’ve heard their entire life. But because the words we use matter, especially when we are talking about someone’s life.
For generations, su***de was viewed as a crime, a sin, or a moral failure. And while our understanding of mental health and su***de has come a long way, some of the language we use hasn’t changed with it.
Think about it. We often associate the word committed with wrongdoing. Committed a crime. Committed an offense.
But someone who died by su***de did not commit a crime. They lost their life.
And that life was so much more than how it ended.
They were someone’s child. Someone’s parent. A sibling, a spouse, a best friend. They laughed, they loved, they had dreams, they made memories, and they mattered.
Su***de is complex. We cannot always understand the pain someone was experiencing, and we should never reduce an entire person’s life to the circumstances of their death.
Changing our language won’t bring someone back. It won’t take away the grief of those left behind. But it CAN help remove some of the shame, stigma, and judgment that have surrounded su***de for far too long.
And if we want people to feel comfortable speaking openly about suicidal thoughts, asking for help, and sharing their struggles, we have to be willing to change the way we talk about su***de.
At SEMO Su***de Prevention, we aren’t asking for perfection. We’re asking for awareness, compassion, and a willingness to learn.
So instead of saying “committed su***de,” try saying “died by su***de.”
It’s a small change in words, but a meaningful change in how we honor a life.
💜 Because language matters. People matter. And every life deserves to be remembered with dignity, not judgment.
