First of all, I have to give full disclosure: Anne Winter, former owner of Recycled Sounds record store and a local free-speech advocate, was a much-admired friend of mine.
Anne died last week at the age of 45. Several readers have contacted me since then to ask how, their questions prompted because of her youth.
As one of her brothers revealed yesterday at her memorial service, Anne took her own life. The Star's story, posted online late last Friday and in print Saturday, did not mention that fact, but an appreciation currently scheduled to run this coming Sunday does.
Journalists generally report on suicides only when they occur in public places, or when they involve public figures. In Anne's case, she was certainly well known in segments of the community, and her family addressed her struggles with mental illness at the service. It's an important part of her story, even though it's also intensely personal and affects her loved ones greatly.
A medical condition
I don’t think your policy is any different than most non-tabloid media outlets and is correct. Ultimately, in individual cases, the family can decide what to say.
If anyone feels they must know, then also learn this. Mental health issues are as much a medical issue as heart disease or cancer. It can be as dangerous, it can be as treatable.
What it should not be is treated differently than other medical conditions or with any attached stigma. Those old views only deny the attention and help that people that suffer from such illnesses deserve. If a few people learn that and can open their mind to ensuring better treatment and research, then some good might actually come from this disclosure.