Why “Self Completed Deaths” instead of “Suicide”

Why “Self Completed Deaths” instead of “Suicide”

The language used to describe a death by one’s own hand shapes how that death is understood. For this reason, the term “self-completed death” can be preferable to “suicide” when the aim is to recognize the social pressures surrounding individual decisions. “Suicide” carries historical associations with sin, crime, and self-murder, which can make the person appear solely responsible and morally judged. By contrast, “self-completed death” is less accusatory and creates more room for compassionate listening, counselling, and grief. It also invites a broader social justice analysis. Many such deaths occur within conditions marked by isolation, poverty, discrimination, trauma, or inadequate care; describing them only as individual acts risks hiding the systems that helped produce despair. Although no term can remove the tragedy, language can either narrow or widen moral understanding. Replacing “suicide” with “self-completed death” therefore encourages a more humane response: one that honors personal suffering while holding society accountable for the conditions that make life feel impossible.

Source:

Suicide and Social Justice 
Mark E. Button and Ian Marsh