Epidemiology
Etiology
Risk factors
- Individual
- Age > 45 years
- Cisgender male individuals
- Psychosocial
- Previous suicide attempt (most important risk factor)
- Studies suggest that 1 out of 100 people who survive a suicide attempt will complete suicide within a year. This is 100 times the risk seen in the general population.
- Family history of suicide, particularly childhood loss of a parent to suicide
- Psychiatric disorders, e.g. :
- Mood disorders: major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder
- Anxiety
- Schizophrenia spectrum disorders
- Borderline personality disorder
- Alcohol or substance use disorder
- Eating disorders
- Impulsive aggression
- Recent psychiatric hospitalization
- Access to lethal means (e.g., firearms)
- Socioeconomic disadvantage (e.g., unemployment, homelessness)
- Poor social support
- Unmarried
- Previous suicide attempt (most important risk factor)
Something Else
- Suicidal ideation
- Wish to die, not wake up (passive)
- Thoughts of killing self (active)
- Method/accessibility
- Thoughts of specific method (eg, weapons, pills)
- Accessibility of method (eg, medication, gun)
- Lethality of method (eg, gunshot to head, jumping from high floor, potentially lethal overdose of pills)
- Preparations/planning
- Steps taken toward making a suicide attempt: collecting pills, obtaining a gun, giving valuables away, writing a will or suicide note
- Specific planning of time, place, details
- Intent
- Strength of intention to act on suicidal thoughts
- Time frame (next 48 hr, weeks to months)