Associated
factors
can impact a person's potential for suicide and include:
Emotional
and behavioral factors, like feelings of hopelessness and
excessive use of drugs including alcohol
Life
events like the loss of a loved one
These
factors are not the cause of suicide, but they can impact
the likelihood that an individual may attempt suicide.
The more risk factors present, the greater the person's risk
for a suicide attempt and/or completion. All
risk factors need to be taken seriously.
Researchers
have identified factors that are associated with suicide and
suicidal behavior. These characteristics were subsequently
termed “risk factors” or predictors of suicide. This is not
to say that the presence of these factors causes suicide,
but they do seem to indicate a higher risk. Additionally,
researchers do not know much about how the factors may interact
with one another (Reference 1).
Warning
signs
are behaviors that can mark potential suicidal thoughts and/or
plans. Warning signs are similar to associated factors
and there is some overlap, but more distinctly warning signs
are clues to potential for suicide.
The
more helpers know about associated factors and warning signs,
the greater their ability to proactively help an individual
to get the needed professional services or support that they
need.
Use
this information as a guide, but the list is not exhaustive.
Contact a mental health clinician with any specific concerns.
Electronic, print, and multimedia
resources are provided to help you to find additional authoritative
information on Associated factors with suicide and suicidal
behavior. These resources are available from such national
organizations as The National Institute of Mental Health as
well as professional organizations, not-for-profit organizations,
and educational institutions.
Internet
National
Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
The
NIMH is the primary National Institute of Health organization
for research on suicide and suicide prevention. The
NIMH offers specific resources, research, tools, and reports
for individuals in helping roles, health care professionals,
and researchers interested in learning more about suicide
and suicide prevention.
The
following Web page provides information on Signs and Symptoms
of Depression in men:
SAVE
is an organization is comprised mostly of suicide survivors,
and people that have suffered from depression. The mission
of SAVE is to educate about suicide prevention and speak for
suicide survivors.
The following Web page
offers a listing of symptoms of Depression and danger signs
of suicide:
