WritersWednesday

#WritersWednesday

more and more embarrassing as i started thinking it was alzimers anyhow i started writing to keep a few memories intact butbto
my amazement the pen didnt stop for until 2 days later i do believe the story was meant to be told but im looking someone to proof read it and help me with my grammar as it is atrocious if you are a editor Matt and think this may help other suffers of ptsd and Another discovery in which i me across the awarness off Apathasia

#WritersWednesday

Hi everyone!

Some of you know me already, but allow me to introduce myself. I’m Matt, contributing editor in The Mighty’s mental health section. Hello!

Many of you have expressed a desire to peek behind the editorial curtain This is especially true when we change elements of your articles but haven’t explained why such as style and language choices That’s why we want to reintroduce #WritersWednesday .

Every week a Mighty editor will post an editorial topic for discussion You can ask questions and we’ll do our best to answer You can even pitch your own questions for us and we might cover them in upcoming weeks Cool right Just follow the #WritersWednesday hashtag to keep up to date.

Without further ado here’s this week’s topic — writing about #Suicide.

Writing about suicide can be really, really tricky. Studies have shown a link between certain types of suicide coverage in the media and increased suicide rates among vulnerable people. So, there’s a fine balance between talking about the emotions you’ve gone through without unintentionally triggering others who also experience suicidal thoughts or ideation. Even with trigger warnings on sensitive pieces, it’s important to try to follow these recommendations in your pieces about suicide, whether you post on The Mighty or on your own blogs. Together, we can eliminate the stigma around talking about suicide while limiting any negative effects it might have on vulnerable people.

Here’s a short list of rules for you to follow:

- Do not mention method of suicide, including vague references to tools used in suicide attempts. Also, don’t suggest a method might be “easier” or “painless” compared to another.

- Do not say “commit” or “committed” suicide. This term relates back to when suicide was considered a crime or sin. (Interesting fact, the term shares the same Latin suffix -cide, meaning “to kill,” as in regicide — murder of a king.)

- Instead of “successful,” “unsuccessful” or “failed attempt,” say “died by suicide,” “completed suicide,” “uncompleted” or “killed themselves.”

- Avoid sensationalized language such as “epidemic” or “skyrocketing” for changes in suicide rates. Instead, use non-sensational language such as “rising” or “higher.”

I know this might seem like talking about suicide in a super-clinical way, but it’s possible to discuss suicide in a respectful manner while remaining cautious of what might affect other sensitive people.

So I’ve rambled on for long enough Please don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts or questions below Also if you have any ideas for future #WritersWednesday discussions post them below and we’ll add them to our list! :) Don't forget to follow the hashtag to keep up with future posts.

Thanks, everyone! Keep on being your fantastic Mighty selves.

Lots of love,

Matt

#MentalHealth #ChronicIllness #RareDisease #mightycontributors