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Warning Signs of Suicide

Table of Contents


Overview

Warning signs of suicide in adults include:

Where to get help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

If you or someone you know talks about suicide, self-harm, a mental health crisis, a substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress, get help right away. You can:

Consider saving these numbers in your phone.

Go to 988lifeline.org for more information or to chat online.

How can you help someone who is suicidal?

If the person has a plan to harm themself or someone else, call 911

Where to get help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

If you or someone you know talks about suicide, self-harm, a mental health crisis, a substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress, get help right away. You can:

Consider saving these numbers in your phone.

Go to 988lifeline.org for more information or to chat online.

Other things you can do

What puts an adult at risk for suicide?

It's hard to know if a person is thinking about suicide. But you can look for things that may make suicide more likely. These include their personal history and stressful life changes.

Personal history

People may be more likely to attempt suicide if they:

Life changes

Life changes that may increase the risk of suicide include:

Take any mention of suicide seriously. If someone talks about suicide, self-harm, or feeling hopeless, get help right away.


Credits for Warning Signs of Suicide

Current as of: June 24, 2023

Author: Healthwise Staff (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
Clinical Review Board (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.


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