What is suicidal

People who attempt suicide and survive may experience serious injuries that can have long-term effects on their health. They may also experience depression and other mental health concerns. Suicide and suicide attempts affect the health and well-being of friends, loved ones, co-workers, and the community. When people die by suicide, their surviving family and friends may experience shock, anger, guilt, symptoms of depression or anxiety, and may even experience thoughts of suicide themselves.

The financial toll of suicide on society is also costly. Suicide is preventable and everyone has a role to play to save lives and create healthy and strong individuals, families, and communities. Suicide prevention requires a comprehensive public health approach. States and communities can use the technical package to help make decisions about suicide prevention activities. Strategies range from those designed to support people at increased risk to a focus on the whole population, regardless of risk.

Both are free and confidential. For more information, visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline external icon. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link.

Suicide Prevention. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Suicidal thoughts or actions are a sign of extreme distress and an indicator that someone needs help. Talking about wanting to die by suicide is not a typical response to stress. All talk of suicide should be taken seriously and requires immediate attention.

Effective, evidence-based interventions are available to help people who are at risk for suicide:. If you notice warning signs of suicide—especially a change in behavior or new, concerning behavior—get help as soon as possible. Family and friends are often the first to recognize the warning signs of suicide, and they can take the first step toward helping a loved one find mental health treatment. If someone tells you that they are going to kill themselves, do not leave them alone.

Do not promise that you will keep their suicidal thoughts a secret—tell a trusted friend, family member, or other trusted adult. Knowing how to get help when someone posts suicidal messages can help save a life. Many social media sites have a process to get help for the person posting the message. If you have thoughts of suicide, tell your health care provider. Your health care provider will listen to your concerns and can help you figure out next steps.

NIMH supports promising research that is likely to have an impact on reducing suicide in the United States. Research is helping improve our ability to identify people at risk for suicide and to develop and improve effective treatments.

NIMH researchers continue to study suicide and how to best implement suicide prevention and intervention programs in different settings, including health care, community, school, and the justice system. Learn more about NIMH research priorities and recent research on suicide prevention. For additional information about suicide prevention efforts, visit the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention and Zero Suicide.

Clinical trials are research studies that look at new ways to prevent, detect, or treat diseases and conditions. Although individuals may benefit from being part of a clinical trial, participants should be aware that the primary purpose of a clinical trial is to gain new scientific knowledge so that others may be better helped in the future.

Talk to your health care provider about clinical trials, their benefits and risks, and whether one is right for you. For more information, visit NIMH's clinical trials webpage. This publication is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission from NIMH. Citation of NIMH as a source is appreciated. Statistics NIMH statistics pages include statistics on the prevalence, treatment, and costs of mental illness for the population of the United States.

Help for Mental Illnesses If you or someone you know has a mental illness, there are ways to get help. Clinical Trials If you or a friend or family member are thinking about taking part in clinical research, this page contains basic information about clinical trials. Don't face mental health challenges alone. Instead, learn how to get the support you need to thrive.

If this last…. Some people believe that they're a newly discovered…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, Ph. Suicidal signs How to help Imminent danger Risk factors Assessing risk Treatment Preventing suicidal thoughts Hotlines and resources Outlook What is suicide and suicidal behavior?

Share on Pinterest. Warning signs that someone may attempt suicide. How to talk to someone who is feeling suicidal. In cases of imminent danger. What increases the risk of suicide? Assessing people who are at risk for suicide. Treatment for people who are at risk for suicide.

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