Did you come across an online post or message in which someone said that they were "going to KMS"?
You may have be able to glean what they are talking about from the context, but if not, this post takes a deeper look at the meaning and origin of this online abbreviation.
Meaning
The letters "KMS" are an abbreviation that stands for "kill myself". This abbreviation is sometimes used by people struggling with suicidal thoughts and feelings. It is also, however, frequently put to use by those trying to be dramatic or ironic.
Example Usage
"KMS" has roughly three distinct uses — serious, ironic, and relating to intentionally dying in a video game. Let's take a look at some example sentences for each context.
- When someone is feeling suicidal and is talking about it on the internet, they may say something like "I am feeling so depressed. Life isn't worth living. I think I am going to KMS."
- An ironic use of the abbreviation KMS might look more like "I'm 99.9 percent sure I failed that math test. My parents are gonna be so mad, might as well KMS."
- Another example of this more common use could be "I hate my ex so much, I'll KMS if he dares to show up at school tomorrow."
- In the context of video games, where dying is fairly meaningless and your avatar can respawn at any time, you might hear sentences like "Oh, dinner is ready, sorry, you'll have to go on without me, I'll just KMS real quick".
Origin
"KMS" was first defined as meaning "kill myself" on Urban Dictionary in 2007. It appeared on Twitter as far back as 2009. While there is no way of knowing exactly when KMS was first used in this context, it is a relatively obvious abbreviation for "kill myself".
Today, the abbreviation KMS can be seen in action on all of the popular social media platforms as well as in video games. It would be logical to speculate that the abbreviation emerged in the context of phrases like "suicide" and "kill myself" being banned in some spaces, with users subsequently turning to "KMS" to bypass filters or moderation.
KMS appears to be used in an overly dramatic fashion the vast majority of the time. That is, people who use the abbreviation may sincerely be feeling frustrated or upset, but have no actual plans to, or thoughts about, taking their own lives. However, some people who are indeed feeling suicidal may also use the abbreviation KMS.
For such cases, it is prudent to mention that, while those who are not trained mental health professionals may not always be wise to start dispensing advice to people who are feeling depressed or suicidal, you could tell such a person that they are loved and valuable. You may also tell them to call their local suicide hotline. In the United States, the easy-to-remember three-digit number 988 is now operational as a national suicide prevention helpline.
Phrases Similar to KMS
Phrases similar to KMS, which stands for "kill myself", include:
- This abbreviation is used to tell someone else to "kill yourself". (Don't use it. It's not OK.)
- Self die has emerged as an alternative way to say "suicide", likely in response to filters disallowing users to discuss suicide.
- Commit die is another online slang term pertaining to suicide.
What Is the Correct Phrase?
"KMS", which stands for "kill myself" is the correct abbreviation.
Ways People May Say Great KMS Incorrectly
People occasionally use KMS to refer to kilometers. In this case, the correct abbreviation is "KM", for which lower case letters may also be used ("km"). "KM" can be used to denote multiple kilometers, and it is not necessary to add an S to turn "KM" into a plural form.
Acceptable Ways to Say KMS
You might choose to use the abbreviation KMS if you are portraying an excessively dramatic mood and everyone else who is part of the conversation knows that you are not, in fact, planning to commit suicide.
If someone else says that they are "going to KMS", it is safe to proceed with your normal banter if you are absolutely certain that the abbreviation is being used ironically. Should you not be sure, you should err on the side of caution and remind the person that suicide prevention helplines are open 24/7 — offer a phone number if you can.