Following the Suicide of a Friend or Family Member, Feelings of Guilt Are Often Magnified by

Oftentimes Asked Questions Nearly Suicide

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Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States and a major public health concern. When a person dies past suicide, the effects are felt past family, friends, and communities. This brochure, adult by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), tin help you, a friend, or a family member learn more than about the warning signs of suicide, means to aid foreclose suicide, and effective treatment options.

If you know someone in crisis:

Dial 911 in an emergency. Or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or use the Lifeline Chat at the Lifeline website. The Lifeline is costless, confidential, and available to everyone.

What is suicide?

Suicide is when people harm themselves with the goal of ending their life, and they dice equally a result.

Asuicide attempt is when people harm themselves with the goal of ending their life, but they do not die.

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

Who is at take a chance for suicide?

People of all genders, ages, and ethnicities tin be at risk for suicide.

The main risk factors for suicide are:

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

Virtually people who have take chances factors for suicide volition not attempt suicide, and it is difficult to tell who will deed on suicidal thoughts. Although risk factors for suicide are of import to keep in mind, someone who is showingwarning signs of suicide may be at college take a chance for danger and need immediate attention.

Stressful life events (such every bit the loss of a loved one, legal troubles, or financial difficulties) and interpersonal stressors (such as shame, harassment, bullying, discrimination, or relationship troubles) may contribute to suicide gamble, peculiarly when they occur along with suicide risk factors.

What are the alert signs of suicide?

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

Talking about wanting to die or wanting to kill themselves
Talking well-nigh feeling empty or hopeless or having no reason to alive
Talking about feeling trapped or feeling that in that location are no solutions
Feeling unbearable emotional or physical pain
Talking most being a brunt to others
Withdrawing from family and friends
Giving away important possessions
Saying goodbye to friends and family
Putting affairs in guild, such as making a will
Taking smashing risks that could lead to decease, such as driving extremely fast
Talking or thinking virtually death often

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

Displaying extreme mood swings, suddenly changing from very sad to very calm or happy
Making a plan or looking for ways to kill themselves, such every bit searching for lethal methods online, stockpiling pills, or buying a gun
Talking about feeling great guilt or shame
Using booze or drugs more ofttimes
Acting broken-hearted or agitated
Irresolute eating or sleeping habits
Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge

Does asking someone nearly suicide put the idea in their head?

No. Studies accept shown that request people about suicidal thoughts and behaviors does not cause or increase such thoughts. Request someone directly, "Are you thinking of killing yourself?" can exist the all-time manner to identify someone at risk for suicide.

Do certain groups of people have higher rates of suicide?

According to the Centers for Illness Command and Prevention (CDC), women are more likely to attempt suicide than men, merely men are more probable to die by suicide than women. This may be because men are more likely to endeavour suicide using very lethal methods, such as firearm or suffocation (east.g., hanging), and women are more likely to attempt suicide by poisoning, including overdosing on prescribed or unprescribed prescription drugs. However, recent CDC information propose that the leading means of suicide for women may be shifting toward more lethal methods.

CDC data also show that suicide rates vary past race, ethnicity, age, and gender. American Indian and Alaska Native men have the highest rates of suicide, followed by non-Hispanic White males.

Although the rate of suicide expiry amid preteens and younger teens is lower than that of older adolescents and adults, it has increased over time. Suicide now ranks equally the second leading crusade of death for youth ages ten to 14. For children under age 12, research indicates that Blackness children have a higher rate of suicide decease than White children.

Notation: Later steadily increasing for many years, the overall suicide rate decreased slightly from 2018 to 2019. Y'all can learn more about this finding on the CDC website. Researchers are examining whether this decrease occurred across different racial, ethnic, gender, and age groups, and whether it will go along over time.

Looking for more data and statistics? For the most recent statistics on suicide and more than information about suicide adventure, please visit the CDC suicide prevention page and the NIMH suicide statistics page.

Do people 'threaten' suicide to get attention?

Suicidal thoughts or actions are a sign of farthermost distress and an indicator that someone needs help. Talking nearly wanting to die by suicide is not a typical response to stress. All talk of suicide should be taken seriously and requires immediate attending.

What treatment options and therapies are available?

Constructive, evidence-based interventions are available to help people who are at risk for suicide:

Cerebral Behavioral Therapy (CBT):CBT is a type of psychotherapy that can help people learn new ways of dealing with stressful experiences. CBT helps people learn to recognize their thought patterns and consider alternative actions when thoughts of suicide arise.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT):DBT is a blazon of psychotherapy that has been shown to reduce suicidal behavior in adolescents. DBT as well has been shown to reduce the rate of suicide attempts in adults with deadline personality disorder, a mental illness characterized by an ongoing blueprint of varying moods, self-image, and behavior that frequently results in impulsive actions and problems in relationships. A therapist trained in DBT tin can help a person recognize when their feelings or actions are disruptive or unhealthy and teach the person skills that can assist them cope more effectively with upsetting situations.
Cursory Intervention Strategies :Research has shown that creating a safety plan or crunch response plan—with specific instructions for what to do and how to get help when having thoughts about suicide—can help reduce a person's risk of acting on suicidal thoughts. Staying connected and following up with people who are at risk for suicide also has been shown to help lower the adventure of future suicide attempts. Research also has shown that increasing safe storage of lethal means tin assistance reduce suicide attempts and deaths by suicide. In improver, collaborative assessment and management of suicidality can help to reduce suicidal thoughts.
Collaborative Care:Collaborative care is a team-based approach to mental health care. A behavioral health care director will piece of work with the person, their primary health intendance provider, and mental wellness specialists to develop a treatment plan. Collaborative intendance has been shown to be an effective fashion to treat depression and reduce suicidal thoughts.

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

If you notice warning signs of suicide—especially a alter in behavior or new, apropos beliefs—get help every bit soon as possible.

Family and friends are oftentimes the start to recognize the alert signs of suicide, and they tin take the first step toward helping a loved one find mental health treatment.

If someone tells you that they are going to kill themselves, do not go out them alone. Do not hope that you lot volition continue their suicidal thoughts a secret—tell a trusted friend, family fellow member, or other trusted adult.

Telephone call 911 if in that location is immediate danger, or get to the nearest emergency room.

In a crisis, y'all also tin contact:

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

Crisis Text Line
Text "HELLO" to 741741
The Crisis Text Line is bachelor 24 hours a 24-hour interval, seven days a week. This confidential service helps anyone, in whatever type of crisis, connecting them with a crisis counselor who tin provide support and data.

What if I see suicidal messages on social media?

Knowing how to go assist when someone posts suicidal messages can assistance save a life. Many social media sites have a process to get assist for the person posting the bulletin.

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

How can I find assistance?

If you have thoughts of suicide, tell your wellness care provider. Your health care provider volition listen to your concerns and can aid y'all effigy out next steps. Read NIMH's Tips for Talking With Your Health Care Provider to help y'all gear up to talk to your doctor near mental wellness concerns.

To observe mental health handling services in your surface area, telephone call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Treatment Referral Helpline at one-800-662-Assist (4357) or utilize the SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator.

Where can I learn about NIMH inquiry on suicide?

NIMH supports promising research that is likely to have an affect on reducing suicide in the United States. Research is helping better our power to identify people at run a risk for suicide and to develop and amend effective treatments. NIMH researchers keep to study suicide and how to best implement suicide prevention and intervention programs in different settings, including health care, customs, schoolhouse, and the justice organization.

Learn more about NIMH enquiry priorities and recent research on suicide prevention.

For additional data about suicide prevention efforts, visit the National Activity Brotherhood for Suicide Prevention and Null Suicide.

What should I know about clinical trials?

Clinical trials are inquiry studies that look at new ways to forbid, notice, or treat diseases and conditions. Although individuals may benefit from being part of a clinical trial, participants should be aware that the chief purpose of a clinical trial is to gain new scientific knowledge so that others may be amend helped in the hereafter.

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

Reprints

This publication is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission from NIMH. Citation of NIMH every bit a source is appreciated. To learn more about using NIMH publications, please contact the NIMH Information Resource Center at ane-866-615-6464, e-mail nimhinfo@nih.gov, or refer to NIMH'due south reprint guidelines.

U.S. Section OF HEALTH AND Human being SERVICES
National Institutes of Health
NIH Publication No. 21-MH-6389

Revised 2021

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Source: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/suicide-faq