Understanding Suicide
People who attempt suicide are often trying to get away from a life situation that seems impossible to deal with.
Many who make a suicide attempt are seeking relief from:
Bad thoughts or feelings
-Feeling ashamed, guilty, or like a burden to others
-Feeling like a victim
-Feelings of rejection, loss, or
-loneliness
Suicidal behaviors may be triggered by a situation or event that the person views as overwhelming, such as:
-Aging (the elderly have the highest rate of suicide)
-Death of a loved one
-Dependence on alcohol or other drug
-Emotional trauma
-Serious physical illness
-Unemployment or financial problems
Risk factors or triggers for suicide in adolescents include:
-Access to firearms
-Family member who committed suicide (almost always someone who shared a common mood disorder)
-History of deliberate self-harm
-History of neglect or abuse
-Living in communities where there have been recent outbreaks of suicide in young people
-Romantic breakup