Whether spoken, written or heard, words are powerful. Word choice determines the attitude we take toward a particular action or situation. “Leaving Marquette” and “failing out of Marquette” have two totally different meanings. “Crashing your car” and “totaling your car” imply similar situations but different levels of severity.
Yet, our word choice is normative. When a phrase is used by the media or taught in school, it becomes part of our accepted vocabulary. These phrases can apply to crimes, car accidents or events in daily life.
“Committing suicide” is one term I heard countless times over the years. I recently read a news story detailing the suicide of a high school field hockey player. In the article, the player’s death is referred to only once, stating that she “died in her home … after a lengthy battle with depression.”
As a result, I read the story without much thought about how the student actually passed away. I was able to focus on the accounts of her accomplishments and how her team honored her memory – the things that made her life, not the moment that ended it. In fact, it wasn’t until I finished the entire article that I realized I wasn’t sure how she died. The writer’s use of less shameful language with reference to her death showed that the community focused on celebrating her life.
It turns out the use of blameless terminology has been a strong initiative in the last few years. Having never known anyone who was a victim of suicide, I was unfamiliar with the movement to change the terminology surrounding this act. A number of students studying psychology at Marquette informed me there was a recent shift in the mental health awareness community to use language that emphasizes suicide as the consequence of an illness, as opposed to a choice made by a healthy individual.
The idea of “committing” suicide implies a criminal action. Victims of suicide are not committing a crime. They lived with mental illness and lost their battle. Suicide is no longer considered illegal, so it should not be referred to that way. Nor should attempts at taking one’s life be considered “failed suicide.” These people are not failing, they are in need of help. There is a movement in some communities to refer to these occurrences as “non-fatal suicide.”
The association we have with suicide is important to how we view mental health. Our brains and our emotions are part of how we operate. To give ourselves 100 percent effort, we need to focus on our holistic wellbeing. Mental health should be taken as seriously as physical health.
Fortunately, Marquette recognized this importance. Friday, the Counseling Center will host a suicide prevention training. Regardless of the number of students in attendance, the rest of the student body is capable of influencing the way we view suicide. The language we use on and off campus can greatly affect our attitudes toward mental illness, and hopefully prevent future losses from suicide.