Suicide Prevention
If you or someone you know is in an emergency, call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or call 911 immediately.
Suicidal thoughts or behaviors are both damaging and dangerous. Someone experiencing these thoughts should seek immediate assistance from a health or mental health care provider. Having suicidal thoughts does not mean someone is weak or flawed.
Know the Warning Signs
Talking about:
- wanting to die
- great guilt or shame
- being a burden to others
Feeling:
- empty, hopeless, trapped, or having no reason to live
- extremely sad, more anxious, agitated or full of rage
- unbearable emotional or physical pain
Changing behavior, such as:
- making a plan or researching way to die
- withdrawing from friends, saying goodbye, giving away important items, or making a will
- taking dangerous risks such as driving extremely fast
- displaying extreme mood swings
- eating or sleeping more or less
- using drugs or alcohol more often
Risk Factors for Suicide
Research has found that more than half of people who died by suicide did not have a known mental health condition. A number of other things may put a person at risk of suicide, including:
- A family history of suicide
- Substance abuse. Drugs and alcohol can result in mental highs and lows that exacerbate suicidal thoughts
- Intoxication. More than one in three people who die from suicide are found to be currently under the influence
- Access to firearms
- A serious or chronic medical illness
- Gender. Although more women than men attempt suicide, men are four times more likely to die by suicide
- A history of trauma or abuse
- Prolonged stress
- Isolation
- Age. People under age 24 or above age 65 are at a higher risk for suicide
- A recent tragedy or loss
- Agitation and sleep deprivation
- Sexual orientation. Stress resulting from prejudice and discrimination (family rejection, bullying, violence) is a known risk factor for suicide attempts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth.
Adapted from National Alliance on Mental Illness - Risk of Suicide
Protective Factors
Protective factors are personal or environmental characteristics that help protect people from suicide.
Major protective factors for suicide include:
- 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
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