Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsStatisticsRisk FactorsWarning SignsPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Statistics
Risk Factors
Warning Signs
Prevention
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing your own death. It is a leadingcause of deathin the United States and can affect people of all ages, races, ethnicities,genders, and income statuses. A suicide attempt occurs when someone makes an effort to kill oneself but does not die.
Though certain people are at greater risk of suicide, it can be difficult to know who will act upon these thoughts and feelings (referred to as suicidal ideation). This is why it is important to recognize the warning signs of suicide, including talking about death, acting recklessly, and giving away personal possessions.
This article offers facts about suicide, including the risk factors and various “red flags” to watch out for. It also offers guidance on suicide prevention and what to do if someone has suicidal thoughts or feelings.
Suicide Prevention HotlineIf you or someone you know are having suicidal thoughts, dial988to contact the988 Suicide & Crisis Lifelineand connect with a trained counselor. For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
Suicide Prevention Hotline
If you or someone you know are having suicidal thoughts, dial988to contact the988 Suicide & Crisis Lifelineand connect with a trained counselor. For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
Facts About Suicide
Suicide is currently the second-most common cause of death in the United States among people up to age 44.It is a growing public health concern with rates increasing steadily since 2000.
Among the key statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
How to Talk About Suicide
Who Is at Risk of Suicide?
Suicide can affect anyone, and there is no way to predict who may suddenly decide to act upon suicidal thoughts and feelings. While some people will think about and plan their suicide over a long period, others may act impulsively during moments of extreme distress or desperation.
What this means is that you should never “shrug off” the signs of suicide because someone is “not the type” to do so.Suicide can affect anyone.
Social Risk Factors
Although suicide can affect the young and old and the rich and poor alike, certain population groups are at higher risk. According to the CDC, these include:
These population groups are disproportionately affected due to social factors like racism, discrimination, homophobia, economic hardship, poverty, lack of educational opportunities, anddisparities in access to healthcare(including mental healthcare).
Collectively, these social factors predispose certain groups to suicide unless the appropriate interventions are made.
Individual Risk Factors
Although anyone can be at risk of suicide, there are distinguishing characteristics for those who are at greatest risk. These include:
Signs of Suicidal Behaviors
Suicide is not merely about killing oneself. Rather, it is a means of escape from psychological and/or physical pain when a person believes there are no other options.
It may not always be easy to tell when someone is thinking about suicide. Sometimes a person may isolate themselves, conceal their emotions, or act like everything is OK when in reality they are struggling. And though they seem OK or deny being suicidal, they could still very much be at risk.
Verywell / Shideh Ghandeharizadeh
Sometimes a person will talk about suicide in a way that sounds like they are joking. Talking about suicide is a “red flag” you should never ignore, even if a person is smiling and seems OK.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), there are 14 warning signs of suicide you should always take seriously:
Missed Signs
Preventing Suicide
One myth about suicide is that if a person wants to die, there is no way to stop it. In fact, there are many ways to help people avoid suicide; they often just need to know what their options are and that there are people who are more than willing to help.
According to the CDC, certain factors can protect against suicidal thoughts and actions:
This is why it is important to intervene if a persons show any signs of suicidal ideation. Although they may deny being suicidal, an intervention shows them that there are people available for support. It also offers them the “next steps” if they admit to being suicidal.
Emergency Response
People who are at immediate risk of harming themselves should be taken to the hospital. Do not hesitate to call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline for help with the intervention. Never leave a suicidal person alone.
If the risk of suicide is high and no other options are available, actions can be taken to admitthem in a mental care facility, on an involuntary basis if necessary, until the crisis has passed.
Urgent Response
People who are willing to accept your help should be connected to a licensed mental health professional without delay. Although the person may seem cooperative, it is important to act immediately and avoid delays that could give the person a chance to rethink their decision.
With the appropriate response, a person can get through the immediate crisis and start working with atherapistto build the coping skills needed to avoid future crises.Along with professional treatment, steps should be taken to keep guns, poisons, and other means of suicide out of reach.
Talking to the person is helpful. Using words like “suicide” and “death” signals that they can be honest about their feelings and bring up scary and stigmatized topics. This type of supportive listening should always be provided in addition to—not as a replacement for—professional treatment.
Choosing the Right Therapist
Summary
Suicide can affect anyone. Signs include talking about death, giving away personal belongings, feeling like you’re a burden, and withdrawing emotionally. It is important to act immediately if there are signs of suicide, even if the person denies being suicidal. In an emergency, dial 988 to speak with a trained counselor who can connect you with the appropriate mental health services.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Injuries and Violence Are Leading Causes of Death.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Facts about suicide.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Suicide and Self-Harm Injury.Bachmann S.Epidemiology of suicide and the psychiatric perspective.Int J Environment Res Publ Health. 2018;15(7):1425. doi:10.3390/ijerph15071425.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Disparities in suicide.Näher AF, Rummel-Kluge C, Hegerl U.Associations of Suicide Rates With Socioeconomic Status and Social Isolation: Findings From Longitudinal Register and Census Data.Front Psychiatry. 2020 Jan 14;10:898. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00898Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Suicide prevention: risk and protective factors.National Institute of Mental Health.Warning signs of suicide.Melhem NM, Brent D.Do Brief Preventive Interventions for Patients at Suicide Risk Work?JAMA Psychiatry. 2020 Oct 1;77(10):997-999. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.1287.Vernick J, Rutkow L, Hodge J, White L.Emergency detention of persons deemed a danger to themselves or others during public health emergencies. In:Legal and Ethical Assessments Concerning Mental and Behavioral Health Preparedness. Baltimore MD: Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Injuries and Violence Are Leading Causes of Death.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Facts about suicide.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Suicide and Self-Harm Injury.Bachmann S.Epidemiology of suicide and the psychiatric perspective.Int J Environment Res Publ Health. 2018;15(7):1425. doi:10.3390/ijerph15071425.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Disparities in suicide.Näher AF, Rummel-Kluge C, Hegerl U.Associations of Suicide Rates With Socioeconomic Status and Social Isolation: Findings From Longitudinal Register and Census Data.Front Psychiatry. 2020 Jan 14;10:898. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00898Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Suicide prevention: risk and protective factors.National Institute of Mental Health.Warning signs of suicide.Melhem NM, Brent D.Do Brief Preventive Interventions for Patients at Suicide Risk Work?JAMA Psychiatry. 2020 Oct 1;77(10):997-999. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.1287.Vernick J, Rutkow L, Hodge J, White L.Emergency detention of persons deemed a danger to themselves or others during public health emergencies. In:Legal and Ethical Assessments Concerning Mental and Behavioral Health Preparedness. Baltimore MD: Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Injuries and Violence Are Leading Causes of Death.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Facts about suicide.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Suicide and Self-Harm Injury.Bachmann S.Epidemiology of suicide and the psychiatric perspective.Int J Environment Res Publ Health. 2018;15(7):1425. doi:10.3390/ijerph15071425.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Disparities in suicide.Näher AF, Rummel-Kluge C, Hegerl U.Associations of Suicide Rates With Socioeconomic Status and Social Isolation: Findings From Longitudinal Register and Census Data.Front Psychiatry. 2020 Jan 14;10:898. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00898Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Suicide prevention: risk and protective factors.National Institute of Mental Health.Warning signs of suicide.Melhem NM, Brent D.Do Brief Preventive Interventions for Patients at Suicide Risk Work?JAMA Psychiatry. 2020 Oct 1;77(10):997-999. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.1287.Vernick J, Rutkow L, Hodge J, White L.Emergency detention of persons deemed a danger to themselves or others during public health emergencies. In:Legal and Ethical Assessments Concerning Mental and Behavioral Health Preparedness. Baltimore MD: Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Injuries and Violence Are Leading Causes of Death.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Facts about suicide.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Suicide and Self-Harm Injury.
Bachmann S.Epidemiology of suicide and the psychiatric perspective.Int J Environment Res Publ Health. 2018;15(7):1425. doi:10.3390/ijerph15071425.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Disparities in suicide.
Näher AF, Rummel-Kluge C, Hegerl U.Associations of Suicide Rates With Socioeconomic Status and Social Isolation: Findings From Longitudinal Register and Census Data.Front Psychiatry. 2020 Jan 14;10:898. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00898
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Suicide prevention: risk and protective factors.
National Institute of Mental Health.Warning signs of suicide.
Melhem NM, Brent D.Do Brief Preventive Interventions for Patients at Suicide Risk Work?JAMA Psychiatry. 2020 Oct 1;77(10):997-999. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.1287.
Vernick J, Rutkow L, Hodge J, White L.Emergency detention of persons deemed a danger to themselves or others during public health emergencies. In:Legal and Ethical Assessments Concerning Mental and Behavioral Health Preparedness. Baltimore MD: Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
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