Jokes About Suicide Shouldn’t be Normalized
Man standing still amidst moving crowd (via. Getty Images)
October 27, 2023 Natalie Martinez | Editor-in-Chief
Picture the following: one of your friends feels so miserable and hopeless to the point where they commit suicide, and the next day at school, people are joking about suicide. With the rise of social media and other methods of communication, awareness for mental health issues has both risen and been looked over. On platforms like TikTok, X (commonly known as Twitter), and Instagram, it’s very common to find people making joking statements encouraging acts such as self harm or suicide. Unfortunately, the normalization of such jokes only results in the deterioration of mental health.
According to a report done by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), in 2021, 22% of high school students seriously considered committing suicide. That’s a significant spike from the 16% of high school students who contemplated suicide in 2011. Along with that, 18% of all high school students made a suicide plan.
It is common for people to express their pain through jokes. However, jokes regarding sensitive topics such as suicide should not be treated as just another piece of slang, especially if they are said by people who have not felt suicidal. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) states that, “...these jokes hurt real people and ignore their humanity.”
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According to a poll answered anonymously by 75 Westlake Charter High School students, 49% of students hear jokes about suicide more often than not. However, out of all students who answered the survey, the majority answered that they never make jokes about suicide. This could be because students are unwilling to admit to the fact that they tell suicidal jokes, which could possibly harm the way that their peers view them.
A chart displaying the results of the question “how often have you heard jokes regarding suicide?”
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(Collected via anonymous survey of WCHS students)
Feeling any sort of pain isn’t enjoyable, but having people joke about the pain you’re going through is only going to make it worse. Luckily, there are people willing to help if you’re ever in a moment of crisis— it doesn’t have to come down to that moment where you’re ready to end it all.
If you ever hear someone make a joke about suicide, make sure to check in on them to see if they need any help. Guide them to a professional if they require additional assistance.
If you feel the need for attention and support regarding your mental health, call or text 988. Alternatively, text HOME to 741741. There are people who are trained specifically to help you. They will not judge you for feeling pain.