Title: Risk of Suicide | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness
Headings: Risk of Suicide
Risk of Suicide
Warning Signs
Risk Factors
Support in a Crisis
08.2019

Content: Increased alcohol and drug use
Aggressive behavior
Withdrawal from friends, family and community
Dramatic mood swings
Impulsive or reckless behavior
Suicidal behaviors are a psychiatric emergency. If you or a loved one starts to take any of these steps, seek immediate help from a health care provider or call 911: Collecting and saving pills or buying a weapon
Giving away possessions
Tying up loose ends, like organizing personal papers or paying off debts
Saying goodbye to friends and family
If you are unsure, a licensed mental health professional can help assess. Risk Factors
Research has found that 46% of people who die by suicide had a known mental health condition. Several other things may put a person at risk of suicide, including: A family history of suicide
Substance use. Drugs can create mental highs and lows that worsen suicidal thoughts. Intoxication. More than 1 in 3 people who die from suicide are under the influence of alcohol at the time of death. Access to firearms
A serious or chronic medical illness
Gender.