In line with Mindframe principles StigmaWatch encourages media professionals to avoid language that implies that a death by suicide is a ‘success’ or that a non-fatal suicide is a ‘failure’.

In The Australian’s article ‘Fourth murder charge follows siege,’ published on 3.12.07, Jeremy Roberts described the attempted suicide of Neil Hayward as ‘unsuccessful’. Hayward had tried to take his own life after being charged with the murder of his wife.

StigmaWatch contacted Jeremy Roberts to raise this issue of changing terminology - to avoid unintentional suggestion that loss of life is a good outcome, or that a survivor of suicide has failed. This is a habit in language that we do not think about until it is pointed out.

Alternative ways to talk about suicide include: non-fatal suicide, uncompleted suicide, suicide attempt.