The press is breaking the suicide taboo but still uses stigmatizing metaphors

Article excerpt

Spain recorded 4,227 suicides in 2022, an average of 12 deaths per day, making suicide the leading cause of non-natural death in the country, surpassing traffic accidents. While news media has grown more willing to cover suicide as a public health issue, research shows outlets still rely on stigmatizing language and metaphors when reporting on it. The WHO estimates suicide kills over 700,000 people annually worldwide, with rates climbing sharply since the COVID-19 pandemic. Advocates argue that how the press frames these stories matters: sensationalized or metaphor-laden coverage can inadvertently normalize or romanticize suicide.