Talking About Suicide

Everyone has a role to play in understanding, preventing and responding to suicidal behaviour.

There are safe ways to communicate about suicide that can help manage any potential risks while increasing people’s awareness and understanding of suicide and its contributing factors.

When communicating about suicide be mindful of:

  • Using safe, inclusive language
  • Presenting confirmed information
  • Removing method and location details
  • Including help-seeking pathways.

Find more information about communicating safely about suicide at Mindframe

This resource also includes information specific to media and communications professionals and professionals working in the suicide prevention and mental health sector.

 

Click here to find more information about how our words matter in Mindframe’s guidelines for language use.

The media play an important role in shaping and influencing social attitudes and perceptions of suicide.

Suicidal behaviour can be learned through the media.

Media can play a crucial role in reducing suicides deaths by providing safe media coverage, improving awareness and promoting help-seeking.

Media guidelines supporting the responsible reporting of suicide by the media can reduce suicide rates, and in providing safe, quality media coverage, improve awareness and help seeking.

In Australia, these guidelines have been developed by the Mindframe National Media Initiative.

The community also needs to drive the conversation about what is working locally, what people can do to help and where more attention is required. We are supporting local organisations to take a more proactive and coordinated approach to engaging with the media and managing this conversation.

Encouraging Safe and Purposeful Media Reporting
This brochure provides community members evidence supporting the recommended interventions in LifeSpan.
A Guide for Speaking Publicly about Suicide
This guide aims to provide some practical tips on safe ways to discuss this challenging area, to ensure any risks are managed whilst increasing the community understanding of suicide.
Suicide Prevention Resource for Action (Prevention Resource)

This resource can help states and communities prioritise suicide prevention activities most likely to have an impact and address the needs of community.

Talking safely online about someone who has died by suicide

Be aware that everyone is entitled to privacy, including those who have died by suicide. Where possible, ask permission from a family member of the deceased before posting or sharing content about another person. Orygen have resources to guide you.

https://www.orygen.org.au/chatsafe

https://www.orygen.org.au/chatsafe/remembering