Recently, suicide has been in the spotlight as the focus of both a fictionalized mini-series about a high-school student and a non-fiction podcast about a middle-aged man from Alabama. Each of these very different, but deeply personalized, accounts of suicide touch on a more widespread tragedy. Suicide has just surpassed homicide as the second leading cause of death in teens. In addition, since 1999, there’s been a dramatic increase in “deaths of despair” by suicide, drugs, and alcohol among middle aged white Americans. In general, suicide is on the rise in the United States. As a suicidologist, I encourage the subject of suicide to be taken out of the shadows. There is a way to talk about suicide that is essential to raising awareness and getting people in despair to feel they can open up and reach out to get the help they need. However, the way in which we discuss, depict, and report on suicide is extremely important. When we fail to follow Reporting on Suicide’s carefully crafted and well-researched recommendations, we risk contributing to individuals’ suicide risk and even creating contagion, especially among teens.

One thing that we all need to realize about suicide is that the suicidal state is often transient and temporary. Many people who have made serious suicide attempts have expressed strong or immediate regret after taking action to end their lives. Individuals who are at risk of hurting themselves are very vulnerable, because they are siding with a side of themselves that seeks to destroy them. However, if we can reach these people in moments of crisis and get them to the help they need, it’s possible for them to reemerge from this trance-like state and reconnect with their desire and commitment to stay alive.

This vulnerability of a suicidal person is a big part of the reason why we have to 1, talk about suicide, and 2, learn how to talk about suicide. Guidelines on the media’s portrayal of suicide include never glamorizing or sensationalizing it in any way, period. Specific means for suicide should not be shown or related. Any depiction of suicide should include a story of a survivor who is living proof that the suicidal state can be temporary and that, as the powerful movement for LGBT youth put it, “it gets better.” In addition, any discussion of suicide should include resources for people who may be in crisis or are worried about someone they know. These include the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which can be reached 24/7 at 800-273-8255. Media should also include a list of warning signs for suicide, which can help people identify when someone’s at risk. An example of how to address suicide, while sending a positive message about staying alive, is in the recently released song by Logic, which is titled “1-800-273-8255.″