Student Mental Health & Suicide Prevention
Some warning signs and symptoms may help you determine if a loved one is at risk for suicide, especially if the behavior is new, has increased or seems related to a painful event, loss or change. Below are some of the potential warning signs:
- Talking about wanting to die or kill themselves
- Looking for a way to kill themselves, like searching online or buying a gun
- Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live
- Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain
- Talking about being a burden to others
- Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs
- Acting anxious or agitated; behaving recklessly
- Sleeping too little or too much
- Withdrawing or isolating themselves
- Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge
- Extreme mood swings
Risk factors are characteristics of a person or his or her environment that increase the likelihood that he or she will die by suicide (i.e., suicide risk). Major risk factors for suicide include:
- Diagnosis of Depression
- Previous suicide attempt
- Family history of suicide
- Loss of job, home, money
- Death or terminal illness of a loved one
- Divorce or loss of major, significant relationship
- Loss of health, either real or imagined
- Someone close to the person has completed suicide
- Recent disappointment or rejection
- Being expelled from school/fired from job
- Sudden loss of freedom/fear of punishment
- Victim of assault or bullying