In this day and age, saying the right terminology verse the wrong can be damaging in certain circumstances. Sometimes we can be over our heads in being PC and other times it is appropriate. A lot of this depends on a social groups opinion. But for this post I will be discussing the phrase, “Commit Suicide”, and why it needs to go off to the way side.
When you look up the word, commit, in the dictionary it shows you a multitude of definitions. When I use the Webster-Merriam Dictionary, I find it breaks it from a transitive and an intransitive verb. Under each are more definitions. One that stands out, is under the section of intransitive verbs. It is also marked, obsolete; To perpetrate an offense. Majority of the definitions come down to making a pledge or carrying out an action. Which is why the term, committing suicide, has long been used. However, if we break down what we have learned about mental health, we know that a person to die by suicide was not clear mind and conscience. So, in order to truly commit to something, such as marriage, a loan, or even to commit murder, you have to be of the right mind. People are found not guilty of committing murder due to being mentally unfit. People are probably, at least majority of the time, not thinking clearly in order to kill themselves.
This does not take away from the fact someone attempted to do the action. But, it can help differentiate between a person being “selfish” or thinking they are doing what is best for everyone and feeling that there is no where else to go for help. By the way, I do not think people who die by suicide are selfish, that is why i put it in quotes.
Now this can be controversial to those who still see it as an unforgivable sin through whatever religion they pertain to. In this case, they probably see it as committing suicide, due to the verbiage of committing a sin.
When suicide was a crime, saying commit had much stronger validity as proper legal usage. But, now that mental health has had many advances from science and awareness that takes away the validity it once had.
A lot of medical terminology now states attempting and completing suicide. Which is definitely a way to differentiate between death and survival.
Regardless of what you believe is the proper way of saying it. It is also important to be respectful to those who are survivors of suicide and how they would like it to be addressed. It tends to be a very hard subject to talk about already, there is no reason to add to the distress.
Please know, suicide is not a last resort. There are always other options. If you need help, seek it. You are the strongest when you seek help.
My Brain Staged a Coup 