Suicide
SUICIDE PREVENTION
If you are in crisis or need immediate assistance, please call our Contact Center which is staffed 24/7 at 800.678.5500 or 988.
By knowing the warning signs, you can help prevent a suicide.
Suicide has been on the rise in recent years and is now a leading cause of death in the United States. More troubling, suicide is currently the 2nd leading cause of death for teens and young adults, and an estimated one million suicide attempts are made each year in our country.
In the recent past, suicide – like cancer – was not talked about. However, we now know that conversation leads to better awareness, dispelling the myths around suicide and greatly increasing the chances of preventing suicide.
Understanding Suicide Brochure
Want to learn more? Read our Understanding Suicide brochure below, order it online or check out our articles by our experts.
Warning Signs of Suicide
We now know that most people who end their lives exhibit warning signs through their behavior or what they say. Most will show at least one or two of the following signs, but could exhibit more.
Talking or writing about:
- Wanting to die
- Killing themselves
- Feeling hopeless or trapped
- Having no reason to live
- Being in unbearable pain
- Fearing they are a burden to others
New or changes in behavior:
- Searching for a way to end their life, such as stocking pills, looking to buy a gun, etc.
- Increased use of alcohol or drugs
- Giving away prized possessions
- Visiting or posting goodbyes
- Sleeping too little or too much
- Isolating from friends and family
- Withdrawing from activities
- Acting recklessly or aggressively
Risk Factors
Although anyone could contemplate or attempt suicide, certain factors put some people at higher risk. Mental health conditions top the list with an estimated 90% of suicide victims having a potentially treatable mental health condition (although all may not have been diagnosed or treated) including:
- Depression – it is estimated 2 out of 3 victims of suicide had depression
- Anxiety Disorder
- Bipolar Disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Substance Use Disorder
Other risk factors include:
- Serious or chronic health condition and/or pain
- Previous suicide attempt
- Family history of suicide
- Family history of mental illness
- Childhood abuse
- Stressful life events, such as a death, divorce or job loss
- Prolonged exposure to stress factors such as harassment, bullying, relationship difficulties and unemployment
It’s important to remember that these factors do not cause suicide, only heighten the risk.
Talking to Someone About Suicide
Suspecting or learning a friend or loved one is contemplating suicide can be overwhelming and frightening. However, talking to them is the first step in preventing suicide. Some talking tips include:- Don’t wait for them to bring up the topic
- Ask direct questions in a sensitive way
- Show genuine concern
- Don’t be judgmental
- Never act shocked by what they might express to you
Suicidal Posts on Social Media
With social media an increasing part of our everyday lives, you may occasionally see posts online from someone expressing suicidal thoughts – even someone you don’t know. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has compiled a contact list of Safety Teams at TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube and other platforms* to help you anonymously report users. Other social media sites not featured on the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website may offer similar reporting features. The best way to find those features is to use the social media site’s search function and search for the terms “suicide” or “self-harm.”Tips & Info From Our Experts
Suicide Prevention: Why Talking About “It” Is Essential
Suicide prevention starts with recognizing these warning signs and taking them seriously. If you are unsure whether someone is suicidal, the best way to find out is to ask–here’s how,
Dialectical Behavior Therapy: A Lifeline for Borderline Personality Disorder
Learn more about DBT, a powerful form of talk therapy, and how it can help people who experience emotions with exceptional intensity.
Borderline Personality Disorder: Understanding Self-harm and Suicidal Thoughts
Understanding behaviors such as self-harm or suicidal thoughts is the first step toward offering support to your friend or family member with BPD.
Preventing Suicide: Risk Factors, Warning Signs, Safety Plans and Hotlines
A safety plan is a personalized plan that can help you remain safe when facing difficult situations and/ or troubling emotions. Usually made with a trusted mental health provider after assessing risk factors, a safety plan can help you recognize...
How Pine Rest Can Help
Our psychiatric hospital provides a safe environment for persons at risk or who have attempted or are threatening suicide. Our highly trained and compassionate staff includes psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, psychologists, social workers, chaplains and more. Crisis stabilization is the goal for those entering the program, followed by the development of an individualized after-care plan.
Once the crisis has passed, we offer continuing support to help address the issues that led to suicidal thoughts or attempts. These include short-term intensive daily treatment on our campus as well as services through our Transition Clinic, psychiatry and medication management, outpatient counseling, individual therapy and group therapy.
If You Have Lost Someone to Suicide.
Grieving the loss of someone who has lost their life to suicide is a difficult and complicated process fraught with feelings of sadness, guilt, anger and frustration. We provide professional grief counseling to help you work through your grief and loss and can also connect you to a support group where survivors benefit from sharing their experiences with others.
Hospital Based Services
Wondering if urgent care or hospitalization services are necessary? Give us a call at 800.678.5500. Our licensed clinicians are experienced in identifying warning signs and assessing an individual’s situation, and they are available 24/7.
Outpatient Services
With one call to 866.852.4001, we can help you determine the outpatient services you or your loved one may need and assist you with understanding your insurance benefit.
