In addition to removing lethal items like pills (over-the-counter and prescription), guns, ropes, chemicals, and knives from the home, family members can help by encouraging loved ones to seek care.
People with real-life experiences of suicide can reduce stigma and promote understanding by speaking out. They can also help with research and teaching by sharing their own experiences.
Risk factors
A range of factors at the individual, relationship, community and societal level increase the risk of suicide. These include a history of mental health problems, access to weapons, high alcohol consumption, low concentrations of the serotonin metabolite 5-HIAA in the cerebrospinal fluid, and a family history of suicide.
Studies show that, in general, people who have suicidal thoughts progress to making plans and attempting suicide more quickly than those without these thoughts. For this reason, it is important to ask about suicidal feelings and take a person’s history into account when assessing their risk.
Patients in both the SCAMP and INCPAD trials whose suicidal assessment was triggered by the P4 screener were classified into 3 risk categories based on their answers to the questions asking about the “4 P’s” (past suicide attempts, plan, probability of completing suicide, preventive factors). The majority of those triggered for an assessment were minimal risk patients, with no past attempt or plan, and reporting that their chances of hurting themselves are very low.
Protective factors
While there are many risk factors associated with suicide, there are also protective factors that can help people cope with adversity. These can include a healthy diet, regular exercise and a positive attitude. These factors can also be augmented by a supportive community. Other protective factors include strong family bonds, meaningful relationships with friends and mentors, and active coping skills, such as thought challenging, practicing self-love, distracting, and tapping into your best self.
While some protective factors can’t be changed, such as genetics, where you live or your childhood experiences, there are many that can. It’s important to identify the personal protective factors that are important to you, and work on strengthening them. This can be done by talking to a trusted friend or mentor, joining a support group or online community, exercising and taking care of your physical health, or participating in social activities that are beneficial for you. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides information about protective factors on their website along with a number of helpful worksheets.
Identifying people at risk
A person may be at risk for suicide if they show warning signs or have a history of suicidal behavior. Screening programs can help identify people at risk and connect them with care and support. Gatekeeper training is also important to teach friends and family members how to recognize warning signs.
In addition, helping people build life skills can increase their resiliency and reduce their vulnerability to suicide. Psychotherapy is another option that can help a person who is struggling with suicidal thoughts to identify ineffective patterns of thinking and behaviour, improve mental wellness, and learn positive coping skills.
Stigma and barriers to seeking help must be overcome. This is critical because many people who attempt or die of suicide do not seek or receive help. This can be addressed through education, awareness raising and breaking down stigma. It is also essential to make suicide prevention a public health priority across sectors and to work with communities.
Raising awareness
Suicide is a public health issue that affects communities. Community members can take action by promoting awareness of suicide prevention. This can be done through education campaigns, including narratives of hope and resources for mental health care. Social media is also a useful tool for spreading awareness about suicide prevention.
People who are contemplating suicide often give warning signs that they need help. These warning signs include talking about or writing about suicide, researching ways to end their life, giving away prized possessions or acting aggressively. They may also show a sudden change in mood, such as being sad or feeling hopeless.
Communities can take steps to prevent suicide by providing a full continuum of care. This includes mobile crisis teams, walk-in crisis clinics, hospital-based psychiatric emergency services and peer support programs. They can also develop a postvention plan to address immediate responses to a suicide death and long-term support for survivors. These efforts can be guided by the CDC’s comprehensive suicide prevention strategy.