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Why Would Someone Commit Suicide?







Suicide refers to when someone harms themselves with the intent to end their life. The reasons that people attempt suicide are varied and complex, but they often involve severe emotional or physical pain that a person finds unbearable.

This information comes from Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE).

It can be difficult for people to understand why someone would want to harm themselves. However, suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). 

This article will look at some of the reasons that a person might consider suicide, the link between mental health and suicide, and the role of suicidal thoughts. 

It will also discuss some ways to help someone who is contemplating suicide and some of the support resources available. 

Why do people consider suicide?  

Suicide refers to when a person intentionally ends their own life. Sometimes, people use the term “commit suicide” to describe this. However, the word “commit” implies criminality, which can reinforce harmful stigma.

There are many potential reasons that a person may consider suicide. Often, it is the result of long-term difficulties with thoughts, feelings, or experiences that the individual feels that they cannot bear any longer.

Among other things, a person contemplating suicide may feel:

  • sadness or grief
  • shame
  • worthlessness
  • intense guilt
  • rage, or a desire to seek revenge
  • that they are a burden to others
  • that they have no worth or value
  • that life is not worth living
  • that they are trapped, either physically or emotionally
  • that things will never get better
  • intense physical or emotional pain

Many factors can contribute to a person feeling this way. It may be due to events happening in their life. Mind, a charity in the United Kingdom, list the following examples of scenarios that may lead to suicide:

  • the loss of a loved one
  • bullying, discrimination, or abuse
  • the end of a relationship
  • a major change in life circumstances, such as divorce, unemployment, retirement, or homelessness
  • receiving a diagnosis of a life changing illness
  • problems with money
  • being in prison
  • pregnancy or pregnancy loss
  • questioning one’s sexual or gender identity in an environment that is not accepting of this
  • certain cultural practices, such as forced marriage
  • surviving a traumatic event

However, suicide does not always occur because of a specific life event, and not everyone who experiences these events will consider suicide. People respond to adversity in different ways. 

Risk factors

According to the NIMH, suicide is more prevalent among certain groups. These include people who:

  • are aged 15–24 years
  • are over the age of 60 years
  • have a mental health or substance abuse disorder
  • have a family history of mental health or substance abuse disorders
  • have a family history of suicide
  • have experienced family violence or abuse, such as physical, sexual, or psychological abuse
  • are in prison
  • have a severe or chronic illness
  • have access to firearms or other weapons

Males are more likely to die by suicide than females. However, females are more likely to attempt suicide. Attempted suicide occurs when a person tries to end their life but does not die as a result of their actions.

This may be due to a difference in preferred methods. According to the NIMH, for example, males are more likely to use lethal methods that are difficult to treat. Suicide and mental health 

Mental health conditions are a significant risk factor for suicide. SAVE estimate that around 90%of people who die by suicide have a mental health condition. 

Some examples of conditions that may contribute to suicidal thoughts or intent include:

  • substance abuse disorders
  • depressive disorders
  • borderline personality disorder
  • bipolar disorder
  • anxiety-based disorders
  • psychosis

However, it is important to note that although mental health conditions can increase the risk of suicide, they are also very common. Additionally, according to the U.K. charity Samaritans, not everyone who considers suicide has a diagnosed mental health condition.

Social isolation, a lack of support, and untreated or mistreated mental health conditions place people at higher risk of suicide, while having appropriate access to healthcare and support lowers this risk. What are the warning signs?

Some people exhibit warning signs that they are considering suicide. SAVE state that it is important to take notice if someone is:

  • talking about wanting to die
  • talking about feeling trapped, feeling hopeless, or being in unbearable pain
  • talking about being a burden to others
  • planning or looking for ways to harm themselves, such as acquiring firearms or other weapons, stocking up on medications, or searching online
  • withdrawing from family and friends
  • using drugs and alcohol more often
  • eating or sleeping more or less than normal
  • acting in an anxious, agitated, or reckless manner
  • experiencing severe mood shifts

However, not everybody exhibits these warning signs when they are considering suicide. The best way to find out for certain whether or not someone is considering suicide is to talk to them. 

Talking about suicide

Some people believe that talking about suicide can cause others to experience suicidal thoughts. However, research has shown this is not true. 

For example, one 2014 review found that talking about suicide does not increase the risk of it. In fact, it may even decrease the risk by allowing people to share any thoughts and feelings that they are struggling with.

Although talking to someone about their thoughts of suicide may feel intrusive, it could save their life. Some examples of ways to start a conversation include:

  • “How have you been feeling?”
  • “Do you ever feel so bad you think about suicide?”
  • “Have you been having suicidal thoughts?”

Samaritans recommend listening to what the person has to say without judgment, using a technique known as active listening. This involves:

Experiencing suicidal thoughts does not always mean that a person will kill themselves. Samaritans state that around 1 in 5 people think about suicide at some point in their lives. Often, this is in response to a temporary feeling or situation. 

In many cases, people who experience thoughts about suicide do not act on them. However, if a person has suicidal intent, it means that they have made a decision and intend to act on these thoughts.

This is an important distinction to make, as having suicidal intent indicates that someone needs immediate help

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