Do You Have a Libaility to Tell Someone if Someone You Know Is Going to Kill Themselves

Ofttimes Asked Questions About Suicide

FAQ about suicide - Cover

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Suicide is a leading cause of decease in the United States and a major public health concern. When a person dies past suicide, the furnishings are felt past family, friends, and communities. This brochure, developed by the National Found of Mental Health (NIMH), can help you, a friend, or a family unit member larn more about the alarm signs of suicide, ways to help preclude suicide, and effective treatment options.

If you know someone in crisis:

Punch 911 in an emergency. Or phone call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at i-800-273-TALK (8255), 24 hours a day, vii days a calendar week, or utilise the Lifeline Chat at the Lifeline website. The Lifeline is free, 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 ending their life, but they do non dice.

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

Who is at risk for suicide?

People of all genders, ages, and ethnicities can be at run a risk for suicide.

The main chance factors for suicide are:

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

Most people who take risk factors for suicide will not attempt suicide, and information technology is difficult to tell who will act on suicidal thoughts. Although run a risk factors for suicide are important to keep in mind, someone who is showingwarning signs of suicide may be at higher risk for danger and demand immediate attention.

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

What are the alarm signs of suicide?

Warning signs that someone may exist at immediate run a risk for attempting suicide include:

Talking about wanting to dice or wanting to kill themselves
Talking nigh feeling empty or hopeless or having no reason to live
Talking well-nigh feeling trapped or feeling that there are no solutions
Feeling unbearable emotional or physical hurting
Talking almost existence a brunt to others
Withdrawing from family unit and friends
Giving away important possessions
Saying good day to friends and family
Putting diplomacy in order, such as making a will
Taking great risks that could lead to death, such as driving extremely fast
Talking or thinking near expiry often

Other serious warning signs that someone may exist at risk for attempting suicide include:

Displaying extreme mood swings, suddenly changing from very pitiful 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 most feeling great guilt or shame
Using alcohol or drugs more often
Acting anxious or agitated
Changing eating or sleeping habits
Showing rage or talking almost seeking revenge

Does request someone about suicide put the idea in their caput?

No. Studies have shown that asking people well-nigh suicidal thoughts and behaviors does non cause or increase such thoughts. Asking someone direct, "Are you thinking of killing yourself?" can be the all-time way to identify someone at risk for suicide.

Practice certain groups of people take college rates of suicide?

Co-ordinate to the Centers for Disease Command and Prevention (CDC), women are more than likely to endeavor suicide than men, merely men are more probable to dice past suicide than women. This may exist because men are more likely to attempt suicide using very lethal methods, such as firearm or suffocation (eastward.k., hanging), and women are more likely to endeavor suicide past poisoning, including overdosing on prescribed or unprescribed prescription drugs. However, contempo CDC data suggest that the leading ways of suicide for women may be shifting toward more lethal methods.

CDC information likewise testify that suicide rates vary by race, ethnicity, age, and gender. American Indian and Alaska Native men have the highest rates of suicide, followed past not-Hispanic White males.

Although the rate of suicide expiry amongst preteens and younger teens is lower than that of older adolescents and adults, it has increased over time. Suicide at present ranks as the second leading cause of death for youth ages ten to 14. For children under age 12, research indicates that Black children have a higher rate of suicide expiry than White children.

NOTE: After steadily increasing for many years, the overall suicide rate decreased slightly from 2018 to 2019. You lot can 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 information technology volition continue over time.

Looking for more information and statistics? For the most recent statistics on suicide and more information most suicide take a chance, delight visit the CDC suicide prevention page and the NIMH suicide statistics page.

Do people 'threaten' suicide to go attending?

Suicidal thoughts or actions are a sign of farthermost distress and an indicator that someone needs assist. Talking nigh wanting to dice by suicide is not a typical response to stress. All talk of suicide should exist taken seriously and requires immediate attention.

What handling options and therapies are available?

Effective, show-based interventions are available to help people who are at risk for suicide:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT):CBT is a blazon of psychotherapy that can help people larn new ways of dealing with stressful experiences. CBT helps people learn to recognize their idea patterns and consider alternative actions when thoughts of suicide ascend.
Dialectical Behavior 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 illness characterized past an ongoing pattern of varying moods, self-prototype, and behavior that often results in impulsive actions and problems in relationships. A therapist trained in DBT tin help a person recognize when their feelings or actions are disruptive or unhealthy and teach the person skills that can help 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 get assistance when having thoughts almost suicide—can assistance reduce a person'due south risk of acting on suicidal thoughts. Staying continued and post-obit upwards with people who are at risk for suicide also has been shown to help lower the risk of future suicide attempts. Enquiry also has shown that increasing safety storage of lethal means tin can help reduce suicide attempts and deaths past suicide. In addition, collaborative assessment and management of suicidality can help to reduce suicidal thoughts.
Collaborative Intendance:Collaborative intendance is a team-based approach to mental health intendance. A behavioral health care manager will piece of work with the person, their primary health care provider, and mental health specialists to develop a treatment plan. Collaborative care has been shown to exist an effective way to care for depression and reduce suicidal thoughts.

What should I do if I am in crisis or someone I know is considering suicide?

If you lot notice warning signs of suicide—particularly a change in behavior or new, concerning behavior—become help equally soon as possible.

Family and friends are often the first to recognize the alert signs of suicide, and they can take the first step toward helping a loved i find mental health treatment.

If someone tells you that they are going to kill themselves, do not leave them alone. Exercise not hope that you will keep their suicidal thoughts a hole-and-corner—tell a trusted friend, family member, or other trusted developed.

Call 911 if there is immediate danger, or become to the nearest emergency room.

In a crisis, yous also can contact:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255); En español 1-888-628-9454
The Lifeline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Lifeline connects people to the nearest crisis middle that provides crisis counseling and mental health referrals.

Crisis Text Line
Text "Hi" to 741741
The Crisis Text Line is available 24 hours a 24-hour interval, 7 days a week. This confidential service helps anyone, in any type of crunch, connecting them with a crunch counselor who can provide support and information.

What if I come across suicidal messages on social media?

Knowing how to get assist when someone posts suicidal messages can help salvage a life. Many social media sites have a process to get help for the person posting the message.

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

How tin can I observe help?

If you lot have thoughts of suicide, tell your wellness intendance provider. Your health care provider will listen to your concerns and tin assistance you figure out side by side steps. Read NIMH's Tips for Talking With Your Wellness Care Provider to help you gear up to talk to your doctor most mental health concerns.

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

Where can I learn about NIMH enquiry on suicide?

NIMH supports promising research that is likely to take an impact on reducing suicide in the U.s.a.. Research is helping improve our ability to identify people at risk for suicide and to develop and ameliorate effective treatments. NIMH researchers continue to study suicide and how to best implement suicide prevention and intervention programs in different settings, including health care, community, school, and the justice system.

Learn more most NIMH research priorities and recent inquiry on suicide prevention.

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

What should I know about clinical trials?

Clinical trials are research studies that look at new ways to prevent, detect, or treat diseases and atmospheric condition. Although individuals may benefit from beingness role of a clinical trial, participants should be aware that the master purpose of a clinical trial is to gain new scientific knowledge so that others may exist better helped in the hereafter.

Talk to your wellness care provider almost clinical trials, their benefits and risks, and whether one is right for you. For more data, visit NIMH's clinical trials webpage.

Reprints

This publication is in the public domain and may exist reproduced or copied without permission from NIMH. Commendation of NIMH every bit a source is appreciated. To larn more than well-nigh using NIMH publications, delight contact the NIMH Information Resource Center at ane-866-615-6464, email nimhinfo@nih.gov, or refer to NIMH's reprint guidelines.

U.S. Department OF Wellness AND Homo 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