“ I’M DROWNING IN PAIN”. A SOCIOLINGUISTICS STUDY OF SUICIDAL MESSAGES

ABSTRACT This study investigates the sociolinguistic dimensions of suicidal messages and their responses on social media platforms among Nigerians. In an era where digital communication plays a vital role in shaping public discourse, social media has become a key space for expressing emotional distress, including suicidal ideation. Drawing on 150 purposively selected posts and comments from Facebook and Twitter, this research utilizes Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to explore how language is used to construct, negotiate, and respond to suicide-related discourse. Findings reveal that suicidal messages often contain linguistic features such as emotive language, metaphors, code-switching, and culturally specific expressions of hopelessness. Responses to these messages range from empathetic and supportive replies to stigmatizing, religious, and dismissive comments, reflecting deep-rooted sociocultural attitudes toward suicide in Nigeria. The analysis uncovers power relations, ideologies, and social structures that influence both the production and interpretation of these texts. The study concludes that social media platforms mirror and reinforce societal perceptions of mental health and suicide, thereby underscoring the need for linguistically informed strategies in online mental health advocacy, education, and intervention. This work contributes to the growing interdisciplinary dialogue between language, society, and mental health in digital spaces.