Suicide is death caused by self-harm with the goal of dying. Suicide may seem like the only solution in your current situation, but help is available. Things typically get better. Call 911 or your local emergency services number if you’re in danger. Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline if you need someone to talk to.
Suicide is death caused by self-inflicted injury with the intent to die.
It’s common among all age groups and affects a wide range of people. You might smile but still think about suicide or be at what you consider the lowest point of your life. Maybe you’re somewhere in between, but if the thought of suicide is frequent, you’re at risk.
If you’re thinking about suicide, if you’ve attempted suicide or if you’ve lost someone to suicide — no matter what situation you’re in, help is available.
Suicide doesn’t always have clear warning signs. It can happen suddenly, without any indication that something was wrong.
Common warning signs of suicide may include:
If you notice warning signs of suicide, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. It can be difficult to do, but it can save your life.
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The U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, now known as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, is a resource available to you if you’re:
In the United States, when you call or text 988, a network of local counselors will help you with any issue you’re facing. For crises or situations where your safety is in danger, counselors can send additional help to your location to offer support if you need it.
Someone is available to help you 24/7. You don’t have to be in a crisis to contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States. To break the statistics down by age, suicide is:
In the U.S. in 2021, 48,183 people died by suicide. This equals one death by suicide every 11 minutes.
Anyone can be at risk of suicide. Suicide affects people globally and doesn’t discriminate based on demographics. It doesn’t fit a specific mold. It can affect someone who is expressively happy or someone who feels depressed and everyone in between.
You may be at a higher risk of suicide if you identify as one of the following demographic groups:
Does talking about suicide increase someone’s risk?
No. Talking about suicide doesn’t increase someone’s risk of taking their own life or putting ideas in their head. Asking someone if they’re thinking about suicide can be a lifesaving way to support someone and help them get the care they need.
It’s difficult to know exactly why someone would consider suicide unless they told you. Even then, there are often a lot of things that contribute to the decision that someone might not feel comfortable expressing fully. Many times, suicide happens before any information is shared.
Research shows there are common factors that can lead someone to take their own life:
Though this list identifies some of the most common factors, it’s not exhaustive.
While suicide isn’t genetic, the suicide of a biological loved one does increase your risk of considering suicide yourself.
What psychiatric conditions are associated with suicide?
Some psychiatric conditions may lead you to consider suicide. These could include:
If you have an underlying condition that’s affecting your will to live, contact a healthcare provider.
After a loss to suicide, you may be asking yourself if there’s anything you could have done to prevent suicide from happening. While there are many things that we can do as a society to prevent suicide, it isn’t entirely preventable and it’s ultimately the decision of the person who considers it.
But if someone is thinking about suicide or you notice warning signs, early intervention can reduce someone’s risk of suicide. You can take the following steps:
People who receive support from loved ones are less likely to act on suicidal impulses. But when discussing suicide, make sure you don’t apply judgment. You may think about it negatively, but expressing those feelings to someone who’s considering suicide can be harmful.
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A suicide risk assessment is a series of questions that a healthcare provider will ask to identify if you’re at risk of taking your own life. There are three parts to a suicide risk assessment:
Studies found that most people who die by suicide visit a healthcare provider months before their passing. This screening can detect your risk of suicide early so your provider can offer treatment that can save your life. It’s available to anyone at any age.
It can be worrisome and scary to experience suicidal ideation or any situation where taking your life might be a possibility. You may also be concerned about the safety of someone you care about if they tell you that they’re thinking about suicide or attempted suicide.
The following may help:
Within your living space, there are steps you can take to keep yourself or a loved one safe. You’ll want to remove or lock away the following items that may cause harm:
In addition, it helps to stay with someone who is considering suicide. Give them the personal space they need, but don’t leave them alone to fend for themselves. It helps to have someone around to talk to and offer support when needed.
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A suicide attempt is causing harm to yourself with the intent to die, but death isn’t the outcome.
A suicide attempt can have a significant impact on your physical and mental health, depending on your means of self-harm. For example, you may have several broken bones after jumping off of a bridge. The amount of pain you’re in after a suicide attempt can far outweigh what you may have felt before.
In addition, it’s extremely difficult emotionally to come to terms with the fact that you’re alive after an attempt to end your life. You may consider your attempt “failed.” But suicide isn’t the same as hitting the bullseye on a target — it should never be identified as a success or a failure. This word choice could interfere with your ability to heal. You could instead consider yourself a survivor of a suicide attempt and consider your survival a turning point to refocus on your health and safety so that there’s no “next time.”
It can be difficult to see that there’s hope or that things will get better where you’re at right now but, for many people, things will get better with time and treatment.
The American Medical Association describes physician-assisted suicide as the action of a physician providing aid or information to help a patient choose to end their life. In regions where this is legal, a person with a terminal illness may request this from a healthcare provider.
Suicidal ideation (suicidal thoughts or wishes) is thinking about, considering or making a plan to take your own life. It can be a fleeting thought or a continuous stream of harmful ideas. While a thought isn’t taking action to end your life, it can lead to it. Help is available for suicidal ideation.
Suicidal tendencies describe an increase in suicidal ideation or self-harm with the intent to die. The term “suicidal tendencies” has fallen out of favor to describe the frequency of suicidal behavior. Instead, the more accurate term is “suicide risk.”
Suicide is scary, heartbreaking and complex. It affects people around the world and is, unfortunately, common. It may not seem like there’s any other option, but there is hope and help available.
If someone you know shows warning signs, it’s OK to ask if they’re thinking about suicide. Listen without judging. Encourage them to talk to a healthcare provider or mental health professional. If you or a loved one are in danger, don’t be afraid to reach out.
Last reviewed on 07/22/2024.
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy