Suicide

Warning Signs

• Some suicide warning signs may indicate that a person is at immediate risk for suicide.  These indicate help is need immediately.  They include:

  1. • Talking about wanting to die or to kill oneself

     • Looking for a way to kill oneself, such as searching online or obtaining a gun

     • Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live

• Other warning signs may also indicate a serious risk—especially if the behavior is new; has increased; and/or seems related to a painful event, loss, or change.

• Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain

• Talking about being a burden to others

• Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs

• Acting anxious or agitated; behaving recklessly

• Sleeping too little or too much

• Withdrawing or feeling isolated

• Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge

• Displaying extreme mood swings

Risk Factors/Protective Factors

• Suicide risk factors are characteristics of a person or his or her environment that increase the likelihood that he or she will die by suicide (i.e., suicide risk).  They include:

• Prior suicide attempt(s)

• Misuse and abuse of alcohol or other drugs

• Mental disorders, particularly depression and other mood disorders

• Access to lethal means

• Knowing someone who died by suicide, particularly a family member

• Social isolation

• Chronic disease and disability

• Lack of access to behavioral health care

  1. • • Risk factors can vary by age group, culture, sex, and other characteristics. 

• Suicide protective factors are personal or environmental characteristics that help protect people from suicide.  They include:

  1. • Effective behavioral health care

     • Connectedness to individuals, family, community, and social institutions

     • Life skills (including problem solving skills and coping skills, ability to adapt to change)

     • Self-esteem and a sense of purpose or meaning in life

     • Cultural, religious, or personal beliefs that discourage suicide

The information above is courtesy of the Suicide Prevention Resource Center.

Helpful Links:

• https://988lifeline.org/how-we-can-all-prevent-suicide/

• https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/help-yourself/youth/ 

• https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/nimh-answers-questions-about-suicide/index.shtml 

• https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/suicide-faq/index.shtml 

• https://afsp.org/get-help 

• https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help-now/