Suicide risk factors
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Suicide Microchapters |
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Treatment |
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Iqra Qamar M.D.[2]
Overview
Risk factors
Common Risk Factors
- Risk factors for suicide may include:[1]
- Family history of suicidal behavior
- Mental disorders such as major depression, substance use disorders, hospitalization or psychotic disorders
- History of physical or sexual abuse
- Previous suicide attempt or exposure to suicide
- Gay, lesbian, or bisexual orientation, or transgender or gender non-conforming identity[2]
- Biologic factors
- Access to means
- Firearms
- Alcohol and drug use
- Social stress
- Social isolation
- Adoption
- Emotional and cognitive factors
Less Common Risk Factors
- Poor self-esteem
- Impulsivity and risk-taking behavior
- Aggressiveness
- Delinquent behavior
- Family dysfunction
- Parenting style characterized by little warmth and little control (rejecting and neglectful)
- Nonintact family
- Having run away from home
Warning Signs
Warning signs help to determine one at risk for suicide, especially if the behavior is new, has increased, or seems related to a painful event. Warning signs include:
- Talking about wanting to die or to kill themselves
- Looking for a way to kill themselves, like searching online or buying a gun
- Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live
- Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain
- Talking about being a burden to others
- Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs
- Acting anxious or agitated; behaving recklessly
- Sleeping too little or too much
- Withdrawing or isolating themselves
- Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge
- Extreme mood swings
| Pneumonic for Identification of risk factors
"IS PATH WARM" | |
|---|---|
| I | Ideation |
| S | Substance abuse – Increased substance use |
| P | Purposelessness |
| A | Anxiety – Worry, fear, agitation, or changes in sleep pattern |
| T | Trapped – Feeling like there is no way out of a bad situation |
| H | Hopelessness |
| W | Withdrawal from friends, family, and society |
| A | Anger |
| R | Recklessness |
| M | Mood changes |
References
- ↑ Shain B (July 2016). "Suicide and Suicide Attempts in Adolescents". Pediatrics. 138 (1). doi:10.1542/peds.2016-1420. PMID 27354459.
- ↑ "Office-based care for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth". Pediatrics. 132 (1): 198–203. July 2013. doi:10.1542/peds.2013-1282. PMID 23796746.