Risk Factors

Characteristics or conditions that increase the chance that a person may try to take their life:

health factors

• Mental health conditions
  • Depression
  • Bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder
  • Schizophrenia
  • Borderline or antisocial personality disorder
  • Conduct disorder
  • Psychotic disorders, or psychotic symptoms in the context of any disorder
  • Anxiety disorders
• Substance abuse disorders
• Serious or chronic health condition and/or pain

environmental factors

• Stressful life events which may include a death, divorce, or job loss
• Prolonged stress factors which may include harassment, bullying, relationship problems, and unemployment
• Access to lethal means including firearms and drugs
• Exposure to another person’s suicide, or to graphic or sensationalized accounts of suicide

historical factors

• Previous suicide attempts
• Family history of suicide attempts