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Suicide
Reviewed by Medicinsk Expert•Last updated: 2026-10-22•Social Family Issues

Suicide

Suicide is a major public health concern that involves taking one's own life, often resulting from complex risk factors that require immediate intervention and support.

What is Suicide?

Suicide is the taking of one's own life. It is a death that happens when someone harms themselves because they want to end their life. A suicide attempt is when someone harms themselves to try to end their life, but they do not die.

Both suicide and suicide attempts can have lasting harmful effects:

  • People who survive a suicide attempt may have serious injuries that can affect their long-term health, or they may have depression or other mental health concerns.
  • When people die by suicide, it affects their family, friends, and community, who may feel grief, shock, anger, and guilt. Some may develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, or anxiety, and may also be at risk for suicidal thoughts.

Who is at Risk?

Suicide does not discriminate and can touch anyone, but certain factors contribute to the risk:

  • Having attempted suicide before
  • Depression and other mental health disorders
  • Alcohol or drug use disorder
  • Family history of a mental health disorder, alcohol or drug use disorder, or suicide
  • Family violence, including intimate partner violence, child abuse, or sexual abuse
  • Having guns in the home
  • Being in or having recently gotten out of prison or jail
  • Being exposed to others' suicidal behavior
  • Medical illness, including chronic pain
  • Stressful life events, such as job loss, financial problems, loss of a loved one, or a relationship breakup
  • Being between the ages of 15 and 24 years or over age 60

Warning Signs

Warning signs include:

  • Talking about wanting to die or wanting to kill oneself
  • Making a plan or looking for a way to kill oneself
  • Buying a gun or stockpiling pills
  • Feeling empty, hopeless, trapped, or like there's no reason to live
  • Being in unbearable pain
  • Talking about being a burden to others
  • Using more alcohol or drugs
  • Acting anxious or agitated; behaving recklessly
  • Sleeping too little or too much
  • Withdrawing from family or friends or feeling isolated
  • Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge
  • Displaying extreme mood swings
  • Saying good-bye to loved ones, putting affairs in order

Steps to Take

If you or someone you know has the warning signs for suicide, get help right away. If it is an emergency, dial 911. Otherwise, take these five steps:

  • Ask: Ask the person if they're thinking about killing themselves.
  • Keep them safe: Find out whether they have a plan and keep them away from things they can use to kill themselves.
  • Be there with them: Listen carefully and find out what they are thinking and feeling.
  • Help them connect: Connect them to resources:
    • Call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.
    • Chat through Lifeline Chat.
    • For veterans, reach the Veterans Crisis Line by calling 988 and pressing 1, texting 838255, or chatting online.
  • Stay connected: Staying in touch after a crisis can make a difference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Never leave the person alone. Immediately remove any lethal means within reach, including firearms, sharp objects, and prescription medications. Call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, or call 911 if there is immediate danger. Stay calm, listen without judgment or minimizing their pain, and escort the individual directly to the nearest hospital emergency department for a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation.
Beyond explicit verbal statements about death, warning signs of an immediate crisis include sudden calmness or euphoria following a period of deep depression, as the individual may feel relief after deciding to end their life. Other subtle signs include giving away cherished belongings, updating wills abruptly, saying goodbye to friends and family as if not seeing them again, acquiring lethal means (such as stockpiling medications or purchasing a firearm), and extreme social withdrawal.
Passive suicidal ideation involves thoughts of wishing to die or not wake up, without an explicit plan, intent, or effort to end one's life (for example, thinking 'I wish a car would hit me'). Active suicidal ideation involves explicit thoughts of suicide accompanied by intent, a concrete plan, or taking preparatory steps to die. While passive ideation still warrants prompt mental health evaluation and treatment, active suicidal ideation is a medical emergency requiring immediate, acute safety intervention.
safety plan is a personalized, written document created collaboratively between a patient and a clinician to manage suicidal crises. It typically includes recognizing personal warning triggers, listing internal coping strategies (such as breathing exercises or listening to music), identifying safe social distractions, naming specific trusted family members or friends to contact for help, listing professional resources (including 988 and local crisis centers), and documenting clear steps to make the physical home environment safe by restricting access to lethal items.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

MedlinePlus brings together authoritative health information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations.

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