Promoting Safe Reporting on Suicide at the South by Southwest Conference: Five Recommendations for Responsible Journalism

Preventing suicide is an urgent public health concern and journalists have an important role to play. Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S., and 49,476 people died by suicide in 2022, the last year from which data are available.

At the 2024 South by Southwest (SXSW) conference, leaders in media and suicide prevention convened to offer journalists guidance on how to cover suicide in meaningful, impactful and ethical ways.  

The panel, “Preventing Suicide Through Safe Reporting and Storytelling,” featured actress and suicide loss survivor Ashley Judd, who has become an outspoken proponent of ethical reporting, following her personal experience of loss in the public spotlight; the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s (AFSP) Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Christine Yu Moutier; and Audacy Senior Vice President of Programming Dave Richards. The panel was moderated by Mashable Senior Journalist Rebecca Ruiz. 

Journalists wield significant influence and research strongly suggests that when journalists adhere to ethical reporting, like centering stories of hope and promoting mental health resources, more people are likely to seek help and call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Journalists’ dedication to centering these principles and personal experiences of recovery and healing in their reporting is invaluable in fostering understanding and support for those affected by suicide.  

Here are five key practices for reporting on suicide that were discussed during the thought-provoking and informative panel.  

Be mindful of language  

Dr. Moutier explained that the language media use around suicide can significantly impact both loss survivors and those with lived experience.  

Research has shown that detailed, repetitive and explicit language regarding the method used in a suicidal act can be dangerous for those who may already be experiencing suicidal ideation and heighten trauma and risk for survivors of suicide loss.  

Although the phrase “commit suicide” was once commonplace in our culture, it can unintentionally deepen negative attitudes around suicide. The use of the word “commit” came from a time when suicide was criminalized and not treated as the tragic outcome of a complex health crisis. Dr. Moutier noted: “We don’t use that term for other health outcomes. We don’t say ‘he committed cancer’ for example.” Instead, both media and the general public are encouraged to use the phrase “died by suicide,” instead, along with other common expressions such as “took one’s own life.”  

Additionally, Dr. Moutier suggests avoiding the phrases “failed attempt” or “successful attempt” as these can reinforce negative attitudes and prejudice associated with suicide and undermine suicide prevention objectives.  

Frame suicide as a complex health outcome

Research shows that suicide is a complex health outcome. Dr. Moutier explains that there is never a single cause for an individual’s suicide attempt or death. When reporting on an individual’s death by suicide, avoid attributing it to a single cause. Rather, a suicidal act is the result of several common risk factors converging at the same time and overwhelming the individual’s regular coping strategies.  

Avoid sensationalism

During the panel, Judd discussed how sensationalist media coverage negatively impacted her after losing her mother to suicide.  

She shared that reading sensationalized headlines and details in media coverage of her mother’s death was disturbing and exacerbated and prolonged her grief. 

Dr. Moutier explained that journalists can avoid sensationalism in their reporting by reviewing the AFSP’s suicide reporting guidelines. Knowing that reporting on suicide is complex, AFSP offers case-by-case counseling to journalists who are interested in talking with a clinical expert. 

By avoiding sensationalism, the risk of suicide contagion –– a phenomenon in which information about a death by suicide influences others at risk for suicide to take their lives –– decreases.  

Be strategic when including images 

It is recommended to use hopeful imagery, images of individuals receiving support and neutral images that do not depict distress. Including such images can help reduce the glamorization of suicide and decrease the likelihood of vulnerable people viewing suicide as an option. 

Images of resilient individuals, such as people engaging in compassionate conversations or practicing self-care, may even have the added benefit of encouraging those experiencing distress to seek help. 

Dr. Moutier cautioned reporters against including images of an individual who attempted or died by suicide, the location of their death and any images that portray the method graphically.  

Additionally, it is recommended that repeated use of photographs of the deceased and images of others who have previously died by suicide be avoided, as they can overstate the prevalence of suicide and reinforce the sensationalistic nature of those stories.  

Pair the topic of suicide with stories of hope and resources

When reporting on suicide, it is important to focus less on the details of the event and more on the availability of resources, while offering stories of hope and healing, as well as support resources available to survivors of suicide loss.  

Recommendations to include fewer specific details regarding a suicide may sometimes feel in conflict with journalistic principles, such as always including the “who, what, when and where,” elements of a story. However, there are ways to minimize harm while adhering to ethical and high journalism standards. 

Centering the recovery of those who have attempted suicide (people with lived experience) supports this goal by helping to model how recovery is possible and encourage people to seek support to address their own struggles.  

Ethical reporting can ultimately be a protective factor for society to address this public health crisis. Journalists and the media have a significant role to play in raising mental health awareness and advocating for suicide prevention through their reporting.  

By implementing these practices in reporting on suicide, we can protect vulnerable individuals, respect suicide loss survivors and potentially save lives.  

Visit afsp.org/journalists for more information.