Frequently Asked Q's

• What are the key facts?

  • People have suicidal thoughts for different reasons.
  • If you are worried that someone may be having suicidal thoughts, you can talk to them. You can ask them how they are feeling.
  • Talking to someone about their suicidal thoughts does not usually make them more likely to end their life. 
  • You can help someone who is feeling suicidal by listening, without judging them.
  • You can support someone to think about other options to deal with their feelings. Such as accessing support from the NHS, charities, or self-help. 
  • If someone is in crisis, you can help them to get support from mental health or emergency services. 
  • Supporting someone with suicidal thoughts might have an impact on you, so it might help you to get support.   

• Why do some people have suicidal thoughts?

  There are different reasons why people have suicidal thoughts. 
   
  If someone is exposed to a risk factor, they are more likely to have them. A risk factor might include:

  • A previous suicide attempt
  • A family history of suicide
  • Difficult life events, such as experiencing a traumatic childhood or physical or emotional abuse
  • Stressful life events like a relationship ending or losing your job
  • Feeling hopeless
  • Feeling isolated or not having social support
  • Acute emotional distress
  • Excessive use of drugs or alcohol
  • Living with a mental health condition
  • Having a physical health condition, especially if this causes chronic pain or serious disability
  • Problems with work or money
  • Anger at other people

  The more risk factors a person has, the more likely they will have suicidal thoughts.  
   
  People are more likely to take their own life if they have access to the means to do so.

• Why might someone think about ending their life?

  There are lots of reasons why someone might think about ending their life. Some reasons are to: 

  • escape what they feel is an impossible situation,
  • end unbearable thoughts or feelings, or
  • end physical pain or incapacity. 

• What kind of thoughts might someone have?

  When someone has suicidal thoughts, they might think things like: 

  • I have let myself and other people down
  • I am a burden
  • I am a failure
  • No one needs me
  • I am not good enough
  • There is no point in living
  • I will never find a way out of my problem
  • I cannot bear this pain
  • I have lost everything
  • I am useless
  • Things will never get better for me
  • Nobody cares about me
  • I will show them what they have done to me
  • If I die, it is the best for everyone 

• Is there a link between medication and suicidal thoughts?

  Some studies suggest there can sometimes be a link between suicidal thoughts and:

  • taking psychiatric medication, or 
  • withdrawing from it. 

  Overall, the benefit of psychiatric medication usually outweighs the risk of suicidal thoughts. But medical professionals should think about the risks before prescribing medication and when you are withdrawing from it. 
   
  The use of antidepressants is not usually recommended in children and young people under the age of 18. This is because there is evidence that, in rare cases, they can trigger thoughts about suicide and self-harm in this age group.
   
  Someone you know might start to have suicidal thoughts after starting taking or withdrawing from psychiatric medication. If they do, suggest they urgently contact their GP or psychiatrist for advice. 
   
  You can find more information about: 

  • Antidepressants
  • Benzodiazepines
  • Medication – Choice and managing problems
  • Suicidal thoughts – How to cope 

  at www.rethink.org. Or call our General Enquiries team on 0121 522 7007 and ask them to send you a copy of our factsheet.  

• What are the signs that someone might have suicidal thoughts?

  A change in someone’s personality or behaviour might be a sign that they are having suicidal thoughts. You may be the best judge of when someone you know is behaving differently. 
   
  Changes can include:

  • Becoming anxious or restless
  • Being more irritable or agitated
  • Being more confrontational or angry
  • Becoming quiet and distant
  • Having mood swings
  • Acting recklessly, such as taking risks they would not normally
  • Sleeping too much or too little 
  • A lack of energy
  • Not wanting to be around other people
  • Avoiding contact with friends and family
  • Saying they feel hopeless or worthless
  • Saying they cannot see a way out of a difficult situation
  • Finding it hard to cope with daily issues
  • Having problems with work or studying
  • Saying negative things about themselves

  But these changes in personality or behaviour do not always mean someone is experiencing suicidal thoughts. 
   
  The following things could indicate that someone is thinking of attempting suicide: 

  • Threatening to hurt or kill themselves
  • Talking or writing about death, dying or suicide
  • Saying goodbye or sending messages that feel like an ending
  • Preparing or making plans to end their life, such as storing up medication
  • Putting their affairs in order, such as giving away belongings or making a will 

  Sometimes, signs that something is wrong can be more difficult to spot. Like cheeriness which may seem fake to you. Or they may joke about their emotions, such as saying something quite alarming that is disguised as a joke.  
   
  There are things you can do if: 

  • You are worried about someone, but they will not talk about how they are feeling, or
  • someone tells you they are having suicidal thoughts.  

  It is best to take action if: 

  • your gut feeling is that someone is having suicidal thoughts, or
  • they are experiencing mental health issues, and you are worried about them.  

  See ‘How can I help someone who is having suicidal thoughts?’ below for more information. 

• Are people who live with mental illness at greater risk of suicide?

  People living with a mental illness are more likely to feel suicidal and attempt suicide.
   
  Research shows that someone is more likely to attempt suicide if they have recently been discharged from a mental health facility.

  
  Is there a link between self-harm and suicide? 

  Self-harm means that someone harms themselves on purpose. Self-harm is not a mental health condition, but it is often linked to mental distress.
   
  Someone who self-harms does not usually want to die. They may self-harm to deal with life, rather than as a way of trying to end it.
   
  But people who self-harm are more likely to die through suicide.
   
  You can find more information about Self-harm at www.rethink.org. Or call our General Enquiries team on 0121 522 7007 and ask them to send you a copy of our factsheet.