Warning Sign

Suicide Risk Factors & Warning Signs

In November 2023, my mum completed suicide. In my reading one of the things that has come up often is the risk factors and warning signs of someone at risk of suicide.


In the interest of impact the list has been summarised.

  • Previous suicide attempts
  • Family history of suicide
  • Conflicts
  • Recent loss
  • Illness and chronic pain
  • Trauma
  • Social Isolation
  • Financial problems
  • Shift in behaviour
  • Risk-taking
  • Changes in substance use
  • Withdrawal
  • Hopelessness and helplessness
  • Feeling like a burden
  • Anxiety
  • Preoccupation with death
  • Talking about dying by suicide
  • Preparing for death
  • Sudden lifting of mood

THIS LIST IS NOT EXHAUSTIVE


Below the list has been expanded to provide more detail and examples.

Events & Circumstances:

Previous suicide attempts

Family history of suicide

Conflicts

Recent meaningful loss

Examples:

  • Loss of loved one
  • Loss of job
  • Loss of relationship

Illness and chronic pain

Examples:

  • Mental health conditions
  • Barriers to support or care and stigma

Trauma

Social Isolation

Financial Problems

Behaviours:

Shift in behaviour

Examples:

  • Risk-taking or self-destructive behaviour

Changes in substance use

Withdrawal

Examples:

  • Withdrawal from friends and social activities
  • Loss of interest in school, work or hobbies

Talking about dying by suicide

Examples:

  • Threats to hurt themselves or take their own life
  • Talking generally about dying by suicide
  • Actively seeking the means to complete suicide

Preparing for death

Examples:

  • Obtaining the means to complete suicide
  • Getting one’s end-of-life affairs in order
  • Giving away prized possessions

Feelings:

Hopelessness and helplessness

Feeling like a burden

Anxiety

Preoccupation with death

Sudden lifting of mood

Examples:

  • A sudden sense of calm

THIS LIST IS NOT EXHAUSTIVE


UK HELPLINES:

Samaritans

  • 116 123 [24 HOUR]
  • jo@samaritans.org

SHOUT

  • 85258 (text) [24 HOUR]

Papyrus (under 35s)

  • 08000684141 [24 HOUR]
  • 07786 209 697 (text)
  • pat@papyrus-uk.org

SANEline

  • 03003047000 [4:30-10pm]

National Suicide Prevention Helpline

  • 08006895652 [6pm-midnight]

CALM

Switchboard (LGBTQ+)

  • 03003300630

SOS – Silence of Suicide

Find more helplines here.


Read more about suicide risk factors and warning signs:

CDC. (2024, April 25). Risk and Protective Factors for Suicide. Suicide Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/risk-factors/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/factors/index.html

Zero Suicide Alliance. Suicide Incidence. https://www.zerosuicidealliance.com/ZSA-Resources/facts-for-action/suicide-incidence

Mental Health UK. (2019). Suicide. https://mentalhealth-uk.org/suicide/

National Institute of Mental Health. (2022). Warning Signs of Suicide. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/warning-signs-of-suicide

American Psychological Association (2019, November). Suicide warning signs. https://www.apa.org/topics/suicide/signs

NHS. (2024). Suicide warning signs. Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust. https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/health-and-wellbeing/suicide-prevention/worried-about-someone/warning-signs

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