Suicide is not a Punchline

Have you ever heard someone say, “I’m just going to kill myself now” after failing a test or, “I’m going to go jump out a window” after they’ve done something embarrassing? Maybe you’ve heard something like this and laughed along. Maybe you’ve even said something like this yourself and not thought it was a big deal. Well, I’m here to tell you that it is a big deal and suicide is not a joke.

Don’t get me wrong, I love to laugh, and I think humor is incredibly therapeutic. Laughing can provide hope and make life feel fun and light. With that being said, there is a fine line between funny and inappropriate. Your words can hold immense power and when you talk about something as serious as suicide in a joking manner, it can impact the way that others view this sensitive subject. When someone makes suicidal jokes in an everyday context, such as “what if I just jumped off this bridge?”, the severity and seriousness of suicide is diminished. Mental health and suicide are hard enough to talk about, and these jokes might make someone with suicidal thoughts feel shameful or feel they won’t be taken seriously when they open up. What can be lighthearted and funny to you could also be triggering or painful for someone else.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (2016) and American College Health Assessment (2019)​, suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for 15-24 year olds, and for every completed suicide there are 25 more attempts. In addition, according to the American Association of Suicidology (2019), an estimated quarter million people become suicide survivors, a family member or friend of someone who has died by suicide, each year. Therefore, it’s more than likely that in any conversation you engage in, there is someone who has had some sort of experience with suicide, whether they have had suicidal thoughts themselves or know someone who has died by suicide.

So, what should you do if you hear someone use suicidal language jokingly or outside of the context of risk? Should you call them out? Should you let it go? You might think that someone making a joke about suicide isn’t a big deal or doesn’t actually mean anything, but what if it was serious? Oftentimes, people use humor to cope or as a way to express the things they are too scared to talk about, so it is important to take all signs seriously. It’s not worth it to let it pass by, it’s not worth the risk. So, if you hear someone use suicidal language jokingly, raise a question. For example, you might say, “It concerns me when I hear you say things like that. Is everything okay?” If it was a warning sign, you have now communicated to the person that you care and will take it seriously. And even in the event that they really were just “joking”, you have subtly let the person know that their words may not be the most appropriate way to communicate what’s going on since those phrases are used by suicidal individuals. Don’t be afraid to speak up and reach out.

Suicide isn’t a joke; these are real experiences felt by real people and should be discussed as such. It only takes a small amount of effort to replace phrases like “Ugh, I’m going to kill myself” with “Ugh, that was so annoying.” You never know who may be listening. I encourage you to rethink the way that you talk about suicide and to speak up when you hear someone using suicidal language jokingly. Suicide prevention begins with all of us. Let’s stop the jokes and, instead, spread resources to get help for the people who need it.

Written by Hope Huetter

***If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, depression, or other mental health crises, know that there is help. Please see below for both on-campus and off-campus resources.***

On-campus:

• Counseling Center – 706.236.2259

• Campus Police – 706.236.2262

• CARE Team – berry.edu/studentalert

Off-campus:

• Georgia Crisis & Access Line – 800.715.4225

• You can also download the My GCAL app to text or chat with GCAL 24/7/365​

• Crisis Text Line- Text: HELLO to 741-741 or visit https://www.crisistextline.org/​

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​