Suicide Prevention Lifeline. 18002738255 or Chat
No matter what problems you are dealing with, we want to help you find a reason to keep living. By calling you’ll be connected to a skilled, trained counselor at a crisis center in your area, anytime 24/7.
Science Studies
“Neural substrates of suicide and suicidal behaviour: from a neuroimaging perspective”
-Yasin Hasan Balcioglu & Samet Kose (2018) Neural substrates of suicide and suicidal behaviour: from a neuroimaging perspective, Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 28:3, 314-328. Read the Study
“Adolescent Suicide as a Failure of Acute Stress-Response Systems”
-Adam Bryant Miller, Mitchell J. Prinstein Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA
Risk factors
Risk factors are characteristics or conditions that increase the chance that a person may try to take their life.
Health
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Mental health conditions
- Depression
- Substance use problems
- Bipolar disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Personality traits of aggression, mood changes and poor relationships
- Conduct disorder
- Anxiety disorders
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Serious physical health conditions including pain
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Traumatic brain injury
Environmental
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Access to lethal means including firearms and drugs
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Prolonged stress, such as harassment, bullying, relationship problems or unemployment
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Stressful life events, like rejection, divorce, financial crisis, other life transitions or loss
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Exposure to another person’s suicide, or to graphic or sensationalized accounts of suicide
Historical
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Previous suicide attempts
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Family history of suicide
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Childhood abuse, neglect or trauma
Warning signs
Something to look out for when concerned that a person may be suicidal is a change in behavior or the presence of entirely new behaviors. This is of sharpest concern if the new or changed behavior is related to a painful event, loss, or change. Most people who take their lives exhibit one or more warning signs, either through what they say or what they do.
Talk
If a person talks about:
- Killing themselves
- Feeling hopeless
- Having no reason to live
- Being a burden to others
- Feeling trapped
- Unbearable pain
Behavior
Behaviors that may signal risk, especially if related to a painful event, loss or change:
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Increased use of alcohol or drugs
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Looking for a way to end their lives, such as searching online for methods
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Withdrawing from activities
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Isolating from family and friends
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Sleeping too much or too little
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Visiting or calling people to say goodbye
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Giving away prized possessions
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Aggression
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Fatigue
Mood
People who are considering suicide often display one or more of the following moods:
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Depression
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Anxiety
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Loss of interest
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Irritability
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Humiliation/Shame
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Agitation/Anger
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Relief/Sudden Improvement
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Learn More