Suicide, taking your own life, is a tragic reaction to stressful life situations â and all the more tragic because suicide can be prevented. Whether you're considering suicide or know someone who feels suicidal, learn suicide warning signs and how to reach out for immediate help and professional treatment. You may save a life â your own or someone else's.
It may seem like there's no way to solve your problems and that suicide is the only way to end the pain. But you can take steps to stay safe â and start enjoying your life again.
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
Suicide warning signs or suicidal thoughts include:
Warning signs aren't always obvious, and they may vary from person to person. Some people make their intentions clear, while others keep suicidal thoughts and feelings secret.
If you're feeling suicidal, but you aren't immediately thinking of hurting yourself:
Suicidal thinking doesn't get better on its own â so get help.
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
Suicidal thoughts have many causes. Most often, suicidal thoughts are the result of feeling like you can't cope when you're faced with what seems to be an overwhelming life situation. If you don't have hope for the future, you may mistakenly think suicide is a solution. You may experience a sort of tunnel vision, where in the middle of a crisis you believe suicide is the only way out.
There also may be a genetic link to suicide. People who complete suicide or who have suicidal thoughts or behavior are more likely to have a family history of suicide.
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
Your doctor may do a physical exam, tests and in-depth questioning about your mental and physical health to help determine what may be causing your suicidal thinking and to determine the best treatment.
Assessments may include:
Children who are feeling suicidal usually need to see a psychiatrist or psychologist experienced in diagnosing and treating children with mental health problems. In addition to patient discussion, the doctor will want to get an accurate picture of what's going on from a variety of sources, such as the parents or guardians, others close to the child or teen, school reports, and previous medical or psychiatric evaluations.
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
Suicidal thoughts and attempted suicide take an emotional toll. For instance, you may be so consumed by suicidal thoughts that you can't function in your daily life. And while many attempted suicides are impulsive acts during a moment of crisis, they can leave you with permanent serious or severe injuries, such as organ failure or brain damage.
For those left behind after a suicide â people known as survivors of suicide â grief, anger, depression and guilt are common.
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
To help keep yourself from feeling suicidal:
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
There's no substitute for professional help when it comes to treating suicidal thinking and preventing suicide. However, there are a few things that may reduce suicide risk:
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
Don't try to manage suicidal thoughts or behavior on your own. You need professional help and support to overcome the problems linked to suicidal thinking. In addition:
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
Although attempted suicide is more frequent for women, men are more likely than women to complete suicide because they typically use more-lethal methods, such as a firearm.
You may be at risk of suicide if you:
Suicide in children and teenagers can follow stressful life events. What a young person sees as serious and insurmountable may seem minor to an adult â such as problems in school or the loss of a friendship. In some cases, a child or teen may feel suicidal due to certain life circumstances that he or she may not want to talk about, such as:
If you have concerns about a friend or family member, asking about suicidal thoughts and intentions is the best way to identify risk.
In rare cases, people who are suicidal are at risk of killing others and then themselves. Known as a homicide-suicide or murder-suicide, some risk factors include:
Most antidepressants are generally safe, but the Food and Drug Administration requires that all antidepressants carry black box warnings, the strictest warnings for prescriptions. In some cases, children, teenagers and young adults under 25 may have an increase in suicidal thoughts or behavior when taking antidepressants, especially in the first few weeks after starting or when the dose is changed.
However, keep in mind that antidepressants are more likely to reduce suicide risk in the long run by improving mood.
Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com
We respect your privacy and aim for the best website experience in compliance with local laws. Allowing cookies enables a tailored experience, while disabling them may reduce personalization. For more information, please read our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.