tw | s-icide

the following will be a thread on why we should be more mindful of joking about suicide:

suffering from a mental illness is not meant to become a punchline. yes, it may be an easy way to express frustration, and disappointment, but when these “jokes” and phrases are thrown around, one might forget to consider who they might be affecting.

according to the world health organization, “suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds.” it’s sad to know that the second leading cause of death in our age group has become a meme on the internet and is something people joke about (in person).

this type of illness doesn’t typically have physical symptoms, and its effects cannot always be seen, making it that much more dangerous to toy with the emotions of someone suffering from a mental disease. each time a joke is made of suicide it is not amusing— it’s insulting.

reaching out for help can be the hardest thing to do for people considering suicide. building up the courage to give life one last try and mutter the words – i just want to die – is tough, and for people to think it might be a joke makes it even tougher.

as my knowledge about my own mental health issues developed, so did my sensitivity to these comments. it wasn't even so much the content that bothered me, it was the way some people made it into something meaningless, to be laughed and joked about rather than helped.

stigma needs to be addressed. people need to be educated about mental health and its consequences. people should be taught to respect mental health issues, and that making jokes about it contributes to the harm and suffering of people who experience them.

by changing attitudes, we are saving lives. we are helping people get the treatment they need, we're helping them feel less alone, letting them know if something is wrong and what to do. the truth is, we all need to take part in combating the stigma surrounding mental health.

that’s why we should be more aware of our language and how it might affect others. we should try and become a more supportive culture so when someone does talk about suicide, we can be there for them and get them the help they need.

we shouldn’t make it even harder on certain individuals and joke about something that is a very serious issue to them. not joking about suicide and talking to those who do is one of many ways to prevent and advocate against this serious matter.

if it’s not socially acceptable to joke to a parent about the death of his or her child or to make fun of the death of a grandparent to a grandchild, then why should diminishing and trivializing the serious tragedy of someone ending a life be looked at any differently?

i hope to live in a world where we no longer need mental health awareness days, because everyone is informed and educated about it. they know who to turn to and what to do, they know how to spot the warning signs, or how to tell when something is wrong.

until that day comes i am going to be fighting the stigma as much as i can, and so should you. words have power, so use them wisely and think before you speak.