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The editorial on the dreadful events at Gosport held my interest for a variety of reasons, as I’m sure it did my colleagues.1
The mention of Harold Shipman however led me up another path. Although Shipman was an odious man whose deplorable behaviour ultimately led to a predictable ending, I cannot let the opportunity pass to comment on the expression ‘commit suicide’.
In all aspects of health care, language is important. We no longer use words like cretin, spastic, loony, or Mongol. Suicide was once a crime — and, in religious circles, a sin — hence the phrase ‘commit suicide’. Better to use phrases such as ‘died by suicide’ or ‘took/ended their life’, and not to use expressions such as ‘failed/successful attempt’ or ‘committed/completed suicide’.
Stigmatising language fosters shame and discourages people from opening up to talk — thus reducing opportunities to intervene and offer help.
The phrase also causes further distress to those left behind — adding to the pain, shame, and guilt that most people bereaved by suicide experience. Samaritans have a helpful page on their website,2 and Today broadcast a short interview on the topic on 10 September.3
Susan Beaton, an Australian suicide prevention adviser, has written an excellent review article that eloquently discusses the reasons for why language counts in describing this most socially unacceptable way of dying.4 It is freely available on the web.
- © British Journal of General Practice 2018