Warning signs of suicide
Warning signs of suicide include:
- Planning to, or saying you want to, kill yourself or someone else.
- Having access to a deadly means of committing suicide, such as a firearm.
- Being disconnected from reality (psychotic), experiencing severe anxiety, or hallucinating that you are being given commands.
- Using alcohol or drugs, especially in large quantities.
- Talking, writing, or drawing about death, including writing suicide notes and speaking of items that can cause physical harm, such as pills, guns, or knives.
- Spending long periods of time alone.
- Giving away possessions.
- Aggressive behaviour or suddenly appearing calm.
Some suicidal behaviours in teens and young adults include:
- Running away from home.
- Risky or dangerous behaviours, such as drunk driving.
Factors that increase the risk of suicide include having:
- A history of a past suicide attempt.
- A family history of suicide.
- Recent exposure to suicide.
- A history of depression or other mental health condition, such as bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness) or schizophrenia.
Any mention of suicide should be taken seriously. If someone you know is threatening to commit suicide, try to find out whether the person:
- Has the means (weapons or medications) available to commit suicide or do harm to another person.
- Has set a time and place to commit suicide.
- Thinks that there is no other way to end the pain.
If a suicide threat seems real, with a specific plan and the means at hand, the following guidelines may help:
- Call 911, a suicide hotline, or the police.
- Stay with the person, or ask someone you trust to stay with the person, until the crisis has passed.
- Encourage him or her to seek professional help.
- Don't argue with the person ("It's not as bad as you think") or challenge the person ("You're not the type to commit suicide").
- Tell the person you don't want him or her to die. Talk about the situation as openly as possible.
| Author: | Jeannette Curtis Douglas Dana Ralph Poore | Last Updated: May 14, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine Andrew Swan, MD, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine Lisa S. Weinstock, MD - Psychiatry | |
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