In medicine, our motto is first to do no harm. Words matter. Choose them wisely. Here are 7 words that shame, blame, and injure people who need our help. Don’t say COMMITTED suicide . Committed implies a crime. Committed rape, burglary, murder. Suicide is not a crime; it’s a medical condition that has been taboo for too long. Let’s come out of the dark ages and use proper language to discuss the cause of death. It’s died OF pneumonia, heart attack, stroke, suicide.
Say died OF suicide (ordied BY suicide). Don’t say she Is bipolar . People are people first. Some get physical and/or mental health conditions. The health condition is not their identity. She HAS pneumonia, heart disease, depression, not she IS pneumonia, heart disease, depression. Say she HAS bipolar disorder (or she is a person WITH bipolar disorder). Don’t say he is an addict . People are people first. He is not a disease.…
