Warning Signs of Suicide: How to recognize it and connect to help
Unfortunately, suicidal ideation is something that occurs in many people’s lives; whether they are the one experiencing it themselves or they are the one noticing the signs in others and connecting them to help. It happens more often than we realize. It’s important to remain vigilant in recognizing the warning signs, knowing how to effectively intervene, and being aware of available resources that can help.
Contributing Factors to Suicidal Ideation
While mental health conditions can raise the risk of suicidal ideation, they do not act as the sole cause. Suicide is a complex behavior caused by a combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors. These factors can also contribute to suicidal ideation:
Life Stressors: Painful life circumstances, financial trouble, legal issues, job loss, relationship breakups, or the loss of a loved one.
Physical Health: Chronic pain, serious medical illnesses, or a terminal diagnosis.
Substance Use: Alcohol and drug use can worsen impulsive behavior and deep emotional lows.
Lack of Support: Isolation, trauma, abuse, and a lack of a reliable support system.
Genetics and Environment: Research shows that genetic factors and stressful life events interact with or operate independently of psychiatric disorders.
Recognizing the Warning Signs
There are two forms of Suicidal Ideation to be aware of:
Passive - Passing suicidal thoughts without a plan or desire to act on them. This can sound like someone wishing or hoping something bad happens to them, such as wishing they were never born or that they never wake up.
Active - Actively planning and preparing self harm. This can look like studying suicide methods, giving away personal and valued belongings, writing a note to say goodbye to loved ones, and engaging in reckless behaviors.
Other warning signs of suicidal ideation:
Social withdrawal and self isolation
Expressing feelings of hopelessness, sadness, anguish, rejection, or isolation.
Talking about death or thoughts of suicide
Change in appetite or sleep patterns
Signs of self-harm
Changes in mood or behavior
Intervening
Recognizing and remaining aware of the signs that an individual is experiencing suicidal ideation is an incredibly important first step. The next step is intervention, letting the individual know that you notice the signs.
If you’re unsure that someone is feeling suicidal, ask. Be direct to them about the signs you have noticed. Create a safe, empathetic, non-judgmental space for them. Let them know that you are there for them and that they are not alone.
Actively listen to them. Ask about their reasons for living and try to explore these reasons in more detail. Ask if they have felt this way in the past and if they have, ask how they were able to change their thoughts then. Repeat their words back to them in your own words to show them you are listening. Offer them reassurance that these feelings won’t last forever and remind them of the people who love them and who they love.
If you suspect that they want to end their life soon, it’s highly important to remove any objects from their whereabouts that they could use to harm themselves. It’s also important to not leave them alone. If they have a crisis plan, ask them to show it to you so you can help them follow the plan. If they don’t have one, it can be helpful to try to distract them by watching a movie, listening to music, going on a walk through a park, drawing or painting, reading a book, listening to nature sounds, playing with a pet, etc.
Connecting to Help
It’s important to connect a suicidal individual to professional help after recognizing the signs and intervening. If you think an individual is in immediate danger, call 911 or take them to the nearest emergency department if you are able to. Tell a trusted family member or friend about what’s happening.
If they are not in immediate danger, encourage them to get help. Resources to find help:
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline - Call or text 988
SafeUT app - Free, confidential app that can be used to chat to someone for support and to submit tips. Can be used by students, their parents, school staff, frontline workers and national guard members.
Urge them to seek treatment - They can see a doctor, a mental health professional, go to a support group or a crisis center. A teacher or another trusted individual can help. If they have low motivation to find help themselves, offer to help them research their options and help them make phone calls to schedule an appointment.
Caring For Your Well-being
It’s crucial to care for your own well-being as well. Offering support is helpful, but you don’t need to take the place of a mental health professional. Know your limits and set clear boundaries. Eat well, sleep well, get exercise, practice mindfulness, keep giving yourself time to do the things you enjoy. Ask for help if needed.
How Aspen Ridge Can Support You
While Aspen Ridge is not a crisis center, we can still help those struggling with suicidal ideation. We can typically get clients scheduled for an appointment within 2 weeks and we have an exceptional team of mental health professionals who can help provide support. We take most major insurances and offer affordable self-pay rates as well.
Give our office a call at 801-990-4300 or visit our website for more information. Office hours are Monday-Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Conclusion
Suicidal thoughts are more common than many people realize. Experiencing suicidal ideation does not mean that a person is destined to act on those thoughts or that they cannot go on to have a meaningful, fulfilling life. With appropriate support, therapy, and effective ways to recognize and manage overwhelming thoughts and emotions, many people learn to navigate periods of suicidal thinking safely.
At the same time, suicidal thoughts should always be taken seriously and met with compassion, curiosity, and appropriate support. Recovery isn’t always about never having a difficult thought again; it can be about developing skills, connections, and hope needed to move through those moments without letting them define your life.
A great place to receive an engaging suicide alertness training is through LivingWorks. They offer a 90 minute, online training for anyone wanting to learn to recognize the warning signs of suicidal ideation and how to help. (Reading this blog does not replace taking an official, interactive training workshop.)
Always be kind and check in on others if you have the capacity, especially if you know they are dealing with something difficult. The act of reaching out can be very impactful and meaningful to someone struggling.
