Stigma
There is still a stigma related to suicide, born of hundreds of centuries of misinformation and misunderstanding of mental illness. Many people find the subject of suicide difficult and will make every effort to avoid it. Some survivors struggle with what to tell others, fearing that they or their loved one will be found lacking in some way.
| In the past, many survivors have felt isolated, without the opportunity to speak about their loved one. Today, survivors generally are able to acknowledge that their loved one died by suicide and be listened to with compassion. Many survivors who have shared their loss have paved the way for others to share long-concealed stories of suicide in their own families. Ultimately, each survivor must decide what feels right to share with others. One remaining source of stigma is the stereotyping and misunderstanding of mental illness and suicide. Many people mistakenly conclude that mental illnesses stem from severe family dysfunction or weakness of character. In most cases, nothing could be further from the truth. Mental illnesses typically develop in the same way as other genetic illnesses like cancer, diabetes or heart disease do. Sadly, in some cases, we can see that the mental illness our loved one experienced, was in fact a terminal illness. Raising Consciousness by How We Speak Today there is a movement to raise consciousness about the language we use to describe suicide. Some believe expressions such as “committed suicide” and even “completed suicide” tend to perpetuate an historical stigma that is irrelevant to our understanding of brain and biochemical illnesses such as depression. They suggest "died by suicide" or "died of suicide" are better choices. A similar concern exists for the idea and wording that an individual “chooses to die by suicide.” In question is whether, given our current paradigm of mental illness as a leading factor for suicide, the word “choice” is appropriate. If a person is suffering a deep depression or mentally ill in some other way, is he or she really “choosing?” |  "It takes courage to stand up and be counted among those who have had the misfortune of having a family member complete suicide." Fr. Charles Rubey Read more on "a misunderstood death" Read more on "stigma and stereotyping" “… even the most extreme suicidal depression is but an extension of feelings most of us have had at some point in our lives. By the end of my research I had also come to believe that any of us, if sufficiently pushed by genes, bad luck, ill health, or a combination of these factors, might be drawn to the precipice. Part of my purpose in writing this book is therefore to chip away at some of the barriers that our culture erects between “normal” people and “suicidal” people --- barriers that I believe we erect due to a fear that the difference is so slight.”
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