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Authored by: Suma Chand, PhD
Suicide is a heartbreaking problem that is growing and needs to be addressed in as many ways as possible.
The suicides of successful, well-known people like Robin Williams, Kate Spade, and Anthony Bourdain have invariably triggered questions as to why such successful and seemingly happy people would take their own lives. Understanding the risk factors, knowing the warning signs, and what to do about them is a crucial step. As awareness increases, so will the impact on suicide prevention.
Risk Factors for Suicide
Psychiatric illnesses have been diagnosed in 90% or more of individuals who die by suicide. Among the mental health conditions, Anorexia Nervosa and Depression have been identified as being among the most potent psychiatric disorders in elevating the risk of suicide. Other mental health conditions that are associated with suicide include drug abuse, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and personality disorders like borderline personality disorder. Serious or chronic health conditions such as cancer, end-stage renal disease, HIV/AIDS, and chronic pain also elevate suicide risk. Individuals with such illnesses often have co-morbid depression as well.
A history of suicide attempts is a potent predictor of suicide, especially in the first year following discharge from the hospital for an attempt.
Prolonged stress, which can manifest in the form of bullying, harassment, or relationship problems, can also be a precursor to suicidal behavior.
Stressful and negative life events such as divorce, conflict, death of a loved one, financial problems, job loss, or being diagnosed with a troubling illness are all linked to increasing suicide risk. When the risk factors converge with the triggering negative life event, a suicidal crisis or act is triggered.
Access to lethal means, including firearms and drugs, is a huge risk for suicide, and removing such access has been found to reduce the risk.
Psychological risk factors include:
- Hopelessness is very closely linked to suicidal behavior. Higher levels of hopelessness are associated with increasingly active suicide ideation.
- Suicidal ideation is closely associated with suicide attempts, especially as they become more intentional and involve thinking about ways in which to end their lives.
- Impulsivity operates in some individuals and increases suicide risk indirectly. In such instances, their impulsive behaviors exacerbate their distress levels and trigger suicide related risk factors, like excessive drug or alcohol use.
- Problem-solving deficits have been reported by suicide attempters. They report that they could not see a way out of their life situation, and suicide became the main solution.
- Lack of social connectedness and subjective perception of not belonging have been associated with suicide and attempts. Having social support translates into emotional and instrumental support, where people step up to help one during difficult times, which mitigates suicide risk. In addition, having a family often instills a sense of responsibility towards loved ones that holds people back from suicide.
- A person’s perceptions that he or she is a burden to others has also been identified as being predictive of suicide, especially in older adults and people with chronic pain.
Suicide Prevention & Warning Signs
Suicide Prevention & Warning Signs
How Can You Help Someone Who is at Risk for Suicide?
Talking about suicide to someone who you think may be at risk for suicide can be uncomfortable. Sometimes people are afraid that talking about it may trigger the act. This is far from true. Talking and gently asking a loved one who is depressed if they have thoughts about suicide will allow them to talk openly about what they are going through and move them towards getting the help they need. Allow them to express their feelings and listen with interest, patience, and understanding. Be supportive and non-judgmental while offering hope that there are options available that could be helpful. Safety is of prime importance, so remove access to any lethal means of self-harm, such as firearms, pills, alcohol, drugs, or rope.
People who are in a suicidal crisis are in a state of mind where their thinking tends to become narrowed, with thoughts that are negative and distorted, dominating. Their problem-solving abilities are impacted, and they feel hopeless and stuck with no solution except for suicide. In the case of individuals who are in a suicidal crisis, the first step would be to make sure that they get professional help so that they are helped to move towards emotional stability, even as they stay safe. This may require hospitalization.
The underlying disorder would need to be treated, while the event that acted as the precipitant is also addressed. The goals of treatment are to help the person move towards an emotional state of stability, where they can then work on building healthy coping skills. Treatment would involve medical treatment as well as psychotherapy.
Cognitive behavior therapy for suicide prevention is a form of psychotherapy that is effective for suicide prevention. It helps suicidal individuals understand their suicidal mindset and develop skills that will allow them to cope more effectively with suicide triggering situations and prevent the recurrence of a suicidal crisis.
Being well-informed about suicide is crucial in the battle to prevent the needless loss of precious lives.
For immediate help if you are in a crisis, call the toll-free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All calls are confidential." Other helpful resources include: https://www.speakingofsuicide.com/resources and https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/how-we-can-all-prevent-suicide/ to learn more about suicide.
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