What Does Unalive Mean?
Unalive is a euphemism for "kill" or "die," particularly in the context of suicide. People say "unalive" instead of the direct words because social media platforms automatically flag, suppress, or remove content containing words like "suicide," "kill," or "die." To continue having important conversations about these topics, users created workarounds — and "unalive" became the most widely adopted one.
Related euphemisms include "sewerslide" (suicide), "d*ath," and "unwell" (as a substitute for suicidal ideation).
Where Did Unalive Come From?
Unalive emerged on TikTok around 2020-2021 as content moderation became increasingly aggressive. Creators making content about mental health, sharing personal experiences, or raising awareness found their videos removed or suppressed for using direct terminology.
Rather than stop talking about these important topics, creators adapted their language. "Unalive" let them discuss suicide prevention, share their stories, and create mental health content without triggering algorithmic suppression.
How It's Used
- Personal experiences: "I struggled with thoughts of unaliving myself in college."
- Awareness: "If you're having thoughts about unaliving, please reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline."
- Discussion: "We need to talk about why people feel the need to say 'unalive' instead of the real words."
Examples in the Wild
"the fact that we can't say 'suicide' on a platform where millions of people go for mental health support is actually insane"
"using 'unalive' feels weird but my video about suicide prevention got taken down three times so here we are"
Why It Matters
Unalive represents a significant cultural and linguistic phenomenon: platform censorship literally changing how we speak. The debate is real — does moderating these words protect vulnerable people from triggering content, or does it prevent them from finding the help and community they need?
Many mental health professionals argue that euphemisms can actually make it harder to have direct, helpful conversations about suicide. But creators argue they have no choice if they want their content to be seen at all. It's a genuine tension with no easy answer.
If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.