How to Show a Death by Suicide in a Genogram
There is no separate glyph for suicide in standard genogram notation — death is death: an X drawn through the person’s symbol. What distinguishes suicide is the recorded cause, which matters deeply in clinical and family-pattern work.
The notation
The death symbol
An X through the square or circle marks the person as deceased. Birth and death years are written beneath (1948–2003), and by convention the age at death may appear inside the symbol.
Recording the cause
Cause of death — including suicide — is written as text under the symbol or in the person’s notes. In families with multiple suicides or attempts, clinicians often annotate each so intergenerational patterns are visible.
Sensitivity
If the genogram will be shared with family members, consider recording the cause in private notes rather than on-canvas text — the pattern stays available to you without confronting relatives on paper.
How to draw it in GenogramAI
- 1Double-click the person and mark them deceased — the X notation is applied automatically
- 2Add the death year; the age display adjusts to age at death
- 3Record the cause in the notes field, or as visible text if appropriate for your use
"Mark Robert as deceased in 2003" — then add cause details in his notes.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a specific genogram symbol for suicide?
No single universal glyph exists. Standard practice is the deceased X through the symbol, with the cause of death recorded as text or notes. Some clinicians annotate “S” or write “suicide” with the year beneath the symbol.
Should I include suicide in a family genogram?
For clinical, medical, or self-work purposes, yes — suicide clusters in families, and seeing the pattern is often the point. For genograms shared with relatives, consider keeping the cause in private notes.
How do I show a suicide attempt (non-fatal) in a genogram?
The person remains alive, so no X. Record the attempt as an annotation or note on the person, with the year — many clinicians treat attempts as significant events worth dating.
Draw it correctly, automatically
GenogramAI renders standard notation for you — describe your family and the symbols come out right.
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