28 Facts About Suicide You Should Know

When it comes to mental health issues, such as depression, most people really don’t know much about them – unless they have personal experience (and even then, not everybody is affected, physically, mentally, or emotionally, in the same way).

And the same is true about suicide – there are a lot of myths about suicide, with not enough people knowing the actual facts.

This guide lists a few things that everybody should really know about suicide, and those who are contemplating it.

Anybody Can Be Affected

While some groups of people may be at higher risk than others (e.g. more women attempt suicide, but more men actually succeed), anybody, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, etc. can have suicidal thoughts.

Some of the statistics, however, are both sad and shocking:

• About half of all transgender male teens in the USA have attempted suicide.
• Around one in five college students in the USA have admitted to having suicidal thoughts.
• Globally, around 40% of women who kill themselves are Indian, with most of them being married.

Don’t Be Afraid To Ask About Suicide

If you suspect somebody close to you (e.g. a family member, friend, or work colleague) is suicidal, it is not only all right, but maybe even essential, that you ask them directly. For example, “Are you considering killing yourself?” is a perfectly acceptable way to raise the subject.

You might be concerned that asking directly like this will put the idea into somebody’s head, but studies have shown that this is not the case – quite the opposite, in fact, because it is often the trigger the person needs to seek help.

Family History May Be A Factor

Evidence is coming to light that if there is a family history of suicide, you are more likely to become a victim yourself.

Having Suicidal Thoughts Is Not Uncommon

Depending on age and situation, anywhere from 1 in 25 to 1 in 3 people have suicidal thoughts at some stage. This does not, of course, always mean they will attempt to follow through on those thoughts.

Hospitalization Does Not Preclude Suicide

It is estimated that between 5% and 10% of suicides occur in mental hospitals.

How People Talk About Suicide Matters

This refers, in particular, to the media, but it does apply more broadly too.

What studies have discovered is that how suicide is talked about (e.g. in relation to deaths of celebrities) can affect those contemplating killing themselves.

This is why guidelines exist on how to cover this delicate subject.

It Is Preventable

While it is clearly impossible to prevent every single suicide, many can be prevented.

For example, screening tools exist that can help assess whether somebody (including children and teenagers) are at risk, based on various factors.

And once those who appear to be at higher risk can be identified, steps can be taken to counsel and treat them – before it’s too late.

Many Religions Frown On Suicide

This includes, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, and even Wicca, to a degree.

Having said this, most religions have differing interpretations, so while their holy books may or may not frown on suicide (or worse), that does not mean this is how the dogma associated with that religion is presented.

For example, while the Bible does not condemn suicide, and at least one suicide is described in the Old Testament, many Christians today believe that suicide is sinful and wrong.

Mental Health Disorders Are A Risk Factor

This should probably not come as a surprise, but those suffering from some mental health problems, e.g. bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, have an increased risk of attempting suicide.

Methods Vary Tremendously

Some people have used some truly weird, creative, and horrifying ways to kill themselves, but the most common way to kill yourself, across the entire world is by hanging.

However, in the USA, firearms account for about 60% of suicides. In fact, estimates show that the chances of a potentially suicidal American teenager killing themselves double when there is a gun in the home.

Most People Do Not Leave Notes

Statistics indicate that only 10% – 35% of people who kill themselves actually leave a suicide note.

Not All Suicide Is 100% Deliberate

The most well-known example of this is autoerotic asphyxiation, also known as sexual hanging.

Those engaging in this practice are probably not planning on dying as a result of it, but they have to be aware, based on precedents that have been publicized, that the risk is there.

People Attempt Suicide Multiple Times

Estimates shows that 80% of people who kill themselves have made previous unsuccessful attempts.

Popular Locations

The most popular spot to kill yourself, in the world, is the Golden Gate Bridge, in San Francicso, California. More than 1,200 have jumped to their deaths (you only have a 1% chance of surviving the fall) since it first opened in 1937.

Other popular locations include:

• Aokigahara Forest (aka “suicide forest”) in Japan
• Beachy Head, on the south cost of England
• Niagara Falls
• as well as many other bridges around the world.

Some Medications May Increase Suicidal Thoughts

There are prescription drugs, including Acutane (an acne medication), as well as, perhaps surprisingly, some antidepressants (especially those referred to as SSRIs) that can actually cause or increase suicidal thoughts.

Stressors May Or May Not Be Recent

The event that triggers suicide may be something that happened recently (e.g. divorce or relationship break-up, being fired from your job, bereavement, or even the performance of the sports team you support), but it can also stem from something in your childhood.

For example, people who experienced abuse as a child are more likely to kill themselves than those who did not suffer such abuse.

Suicidal Thoughts May Be Hormonal

Some evidence exists to suggest that lower levels of oestregen, during the first week of the menstrual cycle, may play a role in suicide attempts.

Suicide Can Be A Crime

While many countries (including the UK and USA) no longer consider suicide a crime, there are still some countries where it is illegal. For example, at the time of writing this, unsuccessful suicide attempts in India can be punishable with jail time and/or fines.

However, even when suicide itself is legal in a country (or state), it is likely that assisted suicide is still considered illegal.

Suicide Does Not Invalidate Life Insurance Claims

While this may once have been the case, modern policies will not disallow a death by suicide claim – provided the suicide happens at least two years after the policy was taken out.

Suicide Is Not A Selfish Act

This is a common belief, and it can seem that way to some people.

However, you need to remember that very few people who kill themselves do so lightly, or on the spur of the moment.

They will likely have agonized over their decision for a long time (months in my case, before I decided I could not go through with it).

Also, don’t forget that people who are this desperate typically:

• are in extreme pain, usually mentally and emotionally, but sometimes physically too
• feel that nobody would miss them anyway (which is normally not the case, of course)
• have considered the impact on those they are close to and concluded suicide is the best option for all concerned
• think that their family would actually be better off without them (also not true, for the most part)

Suicides Happen At All Times Of The Year

Even though there is an unexplained rise in suicides during spring and early summer, they do not only happen, as was once thought, around the end-of-year holiday season.

Suicide Rates In The USA Are Increasing

Between 1999 and 2016, suicide rates in the US rose by over 25%, with some states (e.g. Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming) having even higher increases.

With life becoming ever more stressful, or so it appears, this is maybe not surprising.

Survivors Can Be Deeply Affected

If somebody you know has killed themselves, it can trigger a wide range of intense emotions, such as anger, confusion, denial, emptiness, guilt, and even jealousy or relief.

The grieving process may, therefore, be even more important than when somebody dies either from natural causes, or in an accident in which you were not involved personally.

Having a support group available to you (and this doesn’t necessarily mean anything official – friends and family, including relatives of the person who has committed suicide, may be exactly what you need) is crucial during this time.

Take Suicide Threats Seriously

It is recommended that you always take threats of suicide seriously – don’t ever assume the person is just crying out for attention.

There Are Things You Can Do

If you know somebody you suspect is considering killing themselves, there are ways you can help them – without trying to offer counselling, which is, of course, best left to professionals.

For example:

1. Don’t be afraid to ask them outright if they are having suicidal thoughts. This can start a conversation that could ultimately save the person’s life.
2. Try to remove access to anything they might use to commit suicide (e.g. medications, weapons).
3. Listen to them carefully, and try to read between the lines because they may not use unambiguous sentences such as “I am going to kill myself.”
4. Offer to help them get professional help (e.g. the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, in the USA).
5. Stay in touch with them, because research has shown that suicide rates do decrease when somebody follows up with the person.

Treatments Exist

While there are many options for dealing with mental health issues in general (e.g. from medication to more natural options), when it comes to suicide prevention, the two most common are therapy and prescription drugs, either individually or in combination.

Warning Signs Are Common

It is estimated that about three quarters of those contemplating suicide exhibit some signs in advance.

While some of these clues are pretty obvious, others are more subtle and may be present in combination with other signs, so you may need to pay close attention.

World Suicide Prevention Day

Yes, this exists, and it happens on 10 September.

Conclusion

I hope you found the above facts and information about suicide interesting, and maybe even useful – who knows, it may even save the life of somebody you know.

Additional Resources

These are suggestions for those who wish to delve deeper into any of the above:

1. Find A Counsellor (USA Only)
2. US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255)