What to Say When Someone in a Family Kills Themself

Frequently Asked Questions Most Suicide

FAQ about suicide - Cover

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Suicide is a leading crusade of decease in the United States and a major public wellness concern. When a person dies by suicide, the furnishings are felt by family, friends, and communities. This brochure, developed by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), tin help you lot, a friend, or a family unit member larn more about the alert signs of suicide, means to help prevent suicide, and effective treatment options.

If yous know someone in crisis:

Dial 911 in an emergency. Or phone call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at one-800-273-TALK (8255), 24 hours a day, 7 days a calendar week, or utilise the Lifeline Chat at the Lifeline website. The Lifeline is complimentary, confidential, and available to everyone.

What is suicide?

Suicide is when people impairment themselves with the goal of ending their life, and they die as a result.

Asuicide attempt is when people harm themselves with the goal of catastrophe their life, but they do not dice.

Avoid using terms such as "committing suicide," "successful suicide," or "failed suicide" when referring to suicide and suicide attempts, as these terms often carry negative meanings.

Who is at chance for suicide?

People of all genders, ages, and ethnicities can exist at take chances for suicide.

The primary risk factors for suicide are:

A history of suicide attempts
Depression, other mental disorders, or substance utilize disorder
Chronic pain
Family history of a mental disorder or substance use
Family history of suicide
Exposure to family violence, including physical or sexual corruption
Presence of guns or other firearms in the home
Having recently been released from prison or jail
Exposure, either direct or indirectly, to others' suicidal beliefs, such as that of family unit members, peers, or celebrities

Well-nigh people who take risk factors for suicide will not endeavour suicide, and information technology is difficult to tell who will act on suicidal thoughts. Although take a chance factors for suicide are important to keep in listen, someone who is showingalarm signs of suicide may exist at higher gamble for danger and need immediate attention.

Stressful life events (such every bit the loss of a loved one, legal troubles, or financial difficulties) and interpersonal stressors (such as shame, harassment, bullying, discrimination, or relationship troubles) may contribute to suicide risk, peculiarly when they occur forth with suicide chance factors.

What are the warning signs of suicide?

Warning signs that someone may be at immediate risk for attempting suicide include:

Talking near wanting to dice or wanting to kill themselves
Talking about feeling empty or hopeless or having no reason to live
Talking about feeling trapped or feeling that there are no solutions
Feeling unbearable emotional or physical pain
Talking about being a burden to others
Withdrawing from family and friends
Giving away important possessions
Saying bye to friends and family
Putting diplomacy in order, such equally making a will
Taking not bad risks that could lead to death, such as driving extremely fast
Talking or thinking about death often

Other serious warning signs that someone may be at hazard for attempting suicide include:

Displaying extreme mood swings, suddenly changing from very sorry to very at-home or happy
Making a plan or looking for ways to kill themselves, such as searching for lethal methods online, stockpiling pills, or ownership a gun
Talking well-nigh feeling cracking guilt or shame
Using alcohol or drugs more often
Interim anxious or agitated
Changing eating or sleeping habits
Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge

Does asking someone most suicide put the idea in their head?

No. Studies have shown that request people about suicidal thoughts and behaviors does not crusade or increase such thoughts. Asking someone directly, "Are you thinking of killing yourself?" tin can exist the best way to place someone at risk for suicide.

Exercise certain groups of people take higher rates of suicide?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), women are more likely to try suicide than men, but men are more probable to die by suicide than women. This may be because men are more likely to try suicide using very lethal methods, such as firearm or suffocation (e.k., hanging), and women are more probable to attempt suicide by poisoning, including overdosing on prescribed or unprescribed prescription drugs. However, contempo CDC information suggest that the leading means of suicide for women may be shifting toward more lethal methods.

CDC data also show that suicide rates vary by race, ethnicity, age, and gender. American Indian and Alaska Native men have the highest rates of suicide, followed by non-Hispanic White males.

Although the rate of suicide death amongst preteens and younger teens is lower than that of older adolescents and adults, it has increased over time. Suicide now ranks as the 2nd leading cause of death for youth ages 10 to fourteen. For children nether historic period 12, enquiry indicates that Black children have a higher rate of suicide death than White children.

Note: After steadily increasing for many years, the overall suicide charge per unit decreased slightly from 2018 to 2019. Yous tin learn more than about this finding on the CDC website. Researchers are examining whether this decrease occurred across different racial, ethnic, gender, and historic period groups, and whether it volition continue over time.

Looking for more information and statistics? For the most recent statistics on suicide and more than information nearly suicide run a risk, please visit the CDC suicide prevention page and the NIMH suicide statistics folio.

Do people 'threaten' suicide to become attention?

Suicidal thoughts or actions are a sign of extreme distress and an indicator that someone needs help. Talking about wanting to die past suicide is not a typical response to stress. All talk of suicide should exist taken seriously and requires firsthand attention.

What handling options and therapies are available?

Effective, evidence-based interventions are available to assist people who are at take chances for suicide:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT):CBT is a type of psychotherapy that can help people acquire new ways of dealing with stressful experiences. CBT helps people larn to recognize their thought patterns and consider alternative actions when thoughts of suicide arise.
Dialectical Beliefs Therapy (DBT):DBT is a blazon of psychotherapy that has been shown to reduce suicidal behavior in adolescents. DBT also has been shown to reduce the rate of suicide attempts in adults with borderline personality disorder, a mental affliction characterized past an ongoing design of varying moods, self-image, and beliefs that ofttimes results in impulsive actions and issues in relationships. A therapist trained in DBT can help a person recognize when their feelings or actions are disruptive or unhealthy and teach the person skills that tin assistance them cope more effectively with upsetting situations.
Brief Intervention Strategies :Research has shown that creating a safety plan or crisis response plan—with specific instructions for what to do and how to become help when having thoughts about suicide—can help reduce a person'southward gamble of acting on suicidal thoughts. Staying connected and following up with people who are at risk for suicide likewise has been shown to help lower the risk of future suicide attempts. Research also has shown that increasing safe storage of lethal means can help reduce suicide attempts and deaths by suicide. In addition, collaborative assessment and management of suicidality can help to reduce suicidal thoughts.
Collaborative Care:Collaborative care is a team-based approach to mental health care. A behavioral wellness care managing director volition work with the person, their primary wellness intendance provider, and mental health specialists to develop a treatment program. Collaborative care has been shown to be an constructive mode to treat depression and reduce suicidal thoughts.

What should I do if I am in crunch or someone I know is because suicide?

If you find warning signs of suicide—particularly a change in behavior or new, concerning beliefs—get help as before long as possible.

Family and friends are oftentimes the first to recognize the alert signs of suicide, and they tin accept the kickoff step toward helping a loved one find mental health treatment.

If someone tells y'all that they are going to kill themselves, do not leave them solitary. Do not promise that yous volition go along their suicidal thoughts a secret—tell a trusted friend, family unit fellow member, or other trusted adult.

Phone call 911 if at that place is firsthand danger, or go to the nearest emergency room.

In a crisis, you besides can contact:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255); En español ane-888-628-9454
The Lifeline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is bachelor to anybody 24 hours a twenty-four hour period, 7 days a week. The Lifeline connects people to the nearest crisis heart that provides crisis counseling and mental wellness referrals.

Crisis Text Line
Text "HELLO" to 741741
The Crisis Text Line is bachelor 24 hours a mean solar day, vii days a week. This confidential service helps anyone, in whatsoever blazon of crisis, connecting them with a crisis counselor who can provide support and information.

What if I see suicidal messages on social media?

Knowing how to get help when someone posts suicidal messages can help save a life. Many social media sites accept a procedure to go help for the person posting the bulletin.

If you see messages or live streaming content that suggests someone is actively engaging in suicidal behavior, call 911or telephone call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1‑800‑273‑TALK (8255).

How can I find help?

If you take thoughts of suicide, tell your health intendance provider. Your wellness care provider volition listen to your concerns and can help yous figure out next steps. Read NIMH's Tips for Talking With Your Health Care Provider to assistance you prepare to talk to your doctor near mental health concerns.

To observe mental health handling services in your area, phone call the Substance Abuse and Mental Wellness Services Assistants (SAMHSA) Handling Referral Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or utilize the SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator.

Where can I learn nearly NIMH research on suicide?

NIMH supports promising enquiry that is likely to have an affect on reducing suicide in the United states. Research is helping better our ability to place people at risk for suicide and to develop and improve effective treatments. NIMH researchers continue to study suicide and how to all-time implement suicide prevention and intervention programs in different settings, including health care, community, school, and the justice arrangement.

Acquire more well-nigh NIMH inquiry priorities and recent research on suicide prevention.

For additional information about suicide prevention efforts, visit the National Activeness Alliance for Suicide Prevention and Naught Suicide.

What should I know about clinical trials?

Clinical trials are enquiry studies that look at new ways to prevent, detect, or care for diseases and conditions. Although individuals may benefit from being part of a clinical trial, participants should be enlightened that the primary purpose of a clinical trial is to gain new scientific knowledge so that others may be better helped in the futurity.

Talk to your health intendance provider well-nigh clinical trials, their benefits and risks, and whether one is right for you. For more information, visit NIMH's clinical trials webpage.

Reprints

This publication is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission from NIMH. Citation of NIMH as a source is appreciated. To learn more than almost using NIMH publications, please contact the NIMH Information Resource Center at i-866-615-6464, email nimhinfo@nih.gov, or refer to NIMH'due south reprint guidelines.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF Wellness AND Man SERVICES
National Institutes of Wellness
NIH Publication No. 21-MH-6389

Revised 2021

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Source: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/suicide-faq