As a result of the stressors and social strains related to the coronavirus pandemic, depression and suicidal ideation are prevalent in our society and we must be conscious of our mental health and that of our loved ones.

When a celebrity of a famous person commits suicide, we should use it as a teaching moment. Everyone, even the famous and wealthy, is vulnerable to depression and feelings of inadequacy and hopelessness.

Language is important, and I’ve noticed a recent tendency of the media to use the phrase “death by suicide” instead of “committed suicide” or “killed himself/herself.”

I hate political correctness in all its forms, why must reporters whitewash reality. Suicide isn’t something that happens to a hapless individual, like being struck by lightning or being hit by a car. It’s misleading and disingenuous to say that someone died by suicide, tell it like it is: they committed suicide.

The phrase “committed suicide” is eschewed by polite society because of its religious connotation, akin to saying “committed adultery” or “committed murder.”

If you have a problem with the verbiage “committed suicide” because people might think you are implying that the deceased committed a sin, then simply say: he killed himself.

Granted, thinking is often impaired when a person decides to take his life, but it’s still a choice, a manifestation of a free will.

Saying “he committed suicide” doesn’t mean that you are lacking compassion and empathy, and it’s not casting judgment on the deceased, it’s simply describing reality in a real way.