There's significant public stigma regarding suicide, which only makes it harder for people experiencing suicidal ideation.
There are a number of blog posts on Mental Health @ Home that address this important issue:
Stigma and How the Public View Suicide: results from an Australian study that found the most common stigmatized beliefs about suicide is that it's used to punish others, it's selfish, and it's hurtful
Where Is Attempting Suicide Illegal?: astonishingly, it does remain illegal in a number of countries
Barriers to Help-Seeking for Suicidal Ideation: stigma is a major barrier
Some suicide prevention activists focus on language around suicide. However, is that actually effective at changing attitudes, or does it just shut down much-needed dialogue? This post addresses these issues. “Committed Suicide”: Suicide-Related Language and Word Policing