I have thought many times about what makes a person suicidal. Mainly, that’s because I’ve been suicidal both actively and passively for extended periods of my life. It’s hell and I hate it. There are both general and specific things that make a person suicidal. Knowledge of these factors, along with ways to protect yourself against suicidal tendencies, can help.
General factors that make a person suicidal
The biggest predictor of suicidality is mental illness. Specifically, a Psychotic disorder (such as schizophrenia), bipolar disorder, or a substance-related disorder have been found to have high risks. suicidal. In the case of bipolar disorder, suicidality is a specific symptom of a depressive disorder, so bipolar depression can definitely make you suicidal. Furthermore, it is worth noting that most people with bipolar disorder also have a comorbid substance use disorderwhich puts them at particularly high risk.
However, in addition to mental illness, other general factors can contribute to a person being suicidal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), these include:
- Social isolation
- Impulsive or aggressive tendencies.
- Feeling of hopelessness
- Lack of access to healthcare
- Cluster of suicides in the community
- The stress of getting used to a new culture
- Community violence
- Historical trauma
- Discrimination
- The stigma associated with help-seeking and mental illness
- Unsafe media portrayals of suicide
To be honest with you, some of these I buy more than others. For example, I think social isolation definitely contributes to suicide, while I’m not sure current media portrayals of suicide really have much of an effect, but that’s me.
Specific events that cause a person to become suicidal
In addition to the above, there are specific events that can contribute to a person being suicidal. I think it is difficult to identify these events for everyone. For example, I became very depressed and suicidal to the point of being hospitalized after starting a new job. It was the new job that caused the depressive episode, but you could say it was the depression that caused the suicidal tendencies.
That said, the CDC also has a list of specific events that can lead a person to suicide. They include:
- Previous suicide attempt
- Serious illness such as chronic pain.
- Criminal/legal issues
- Work/financial problems or loss
- Current or previous history of adverse childhood experiences.
- Victimization and/or perpetration of violence
- Harassment
- History of suicide of a family member or loved one
- Loss of relationships
- Very conflictive or violent relationships
- Easy access to lethal means of suicide
What makes me suicidal?
I have personal experience with some of the above and not with others. What I can say is that for me life changes induce depression. Depression leads to suicide. However, when I am suicidal, I may focus on some of the above factors, so they are also major contributors to becoming suicidal. For example, I might be extremely depressed and suicidal, feel extremely hopeless, and focus on relationship loss and work problems. This approach will only make me feel worse and worse and make me more and more suicidal.
I can also attest to the fact that lack of access to healthcare is a major contributor to suicide. In fact, it was a big part of why I attempted suicide. I felt that if I couldn’t access a psychiatrist, then I couldn’t get help. If I couldn’t get help, then I couldn’t get better. And if I couldn’t improve, then there was no point in continuing. I truly believe that denying people access to proper healthcare kills people every day.
How to protect yourself from suicidal tendencies
Knowing what to do when you are suicidal is essential, especially if you have a serious mental illness. However, not being suicidal in the first place is much better. You can implement protective factors to help prevent the time to become suicidal.
According to the CDC, factors that can prevent suicide include:
- Effective coping and problem-solving skills.
- Reasons to live (e.g. family, friends, pets, etc.)
- Strong sense of cultural identity.
- Support from partners, friends and family.
- Feel connected to other people, school, community and other social institutions.
- Availability of consistent, high-quality physical and behavioral health care.
- Reduced access to lethal means of suicide
- Cultural, religious or moral objections to suicide.
You have some of these protective factors from birth and others you can implement in your own life. For example, various types of therapy can help you develop effective coping and problem-solving skills and help you find reasons to live. Being more engaged with others and the community (volunteering can be effective) can help you feel connected.
If you have already become suicidal
Of course, it’s much easier to focus on protective factors in good times than in bad. If I’m already suicidal, I think three things are important:
- Treatment
- Delay
- Distraction
The first is obvious. If you are suicidal, you should see a professional and receive treatment. If you have an illness such as bipolar disorder, this probably means that your medication needs to be changed, among other things.
The second is to delay the act of suicide. That is, thinking to myself: “I don’t have to kill myself right now. “I can always do it later.”
When I consider whether I can survive one more minute without killing myself, it’s a worthwhile delay.
Finally, distraction makes a big difference for me. If I sit and think about how depressed and suicidal I am and the problems in my life that won’t go away, I will feel more pain and be more likely to act on my suicidal feelings. With great determination I focus my attention on things that are safe for me.
It is also essential to realize that going to a hospital or psychiatric facility is an important option to consider. Your life is worth it.
For more information on what to do if you are suicidal, see here.
Ways to communicate can be found here.
What makes a person suicidal is personal
While all of the above is important, when it comes down to it, some suicide risk factors will be more important to an individual than others. It’s important to know yourself that way. Each of us is also more at risk for some things than others. But no one can protect themselves from everything.
What I suggest is putting plans in place: one to prevent suicide and another to act when suicide arises. You may never need the second one. That would be great. But it’s important to have one just in case.
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