7 Signs Your Friend Might be Suicidal

According to the World Health Organization, close to 800, 000 die of suicide each year. Given the prevalence of this global phenomenon, you, a family member, or a friend have likely been impacted by suicide. Not every person seeks help for suicidality, however, each person possesses unique warning signs that can range from subtle verbal cues to alarming behaviors.

The warning signs of suicide are deeply personal and subjective. However, just like a physical illness, there are risk factors that lead to the emergence of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Some of these risk factors are objective and enduring. For example, having a psychiatric illness like depression or a history of suicide attempts can be a risk factor present for someone’s entire life. On the other hand, episodic warning signs are behavioral cues that emerge when someone is actively contemplating or planning suicide (Rudd et al., 2006).

With that said, here are episodic warning signs that your friend might be actively suicidal:

1. Giving away possessions

In better circumstances, giving away or getting rid of possessions suggests someone is moving on to a new place or stage in life.  However, for someone who is consumed by thoughts of suicide, this behavior is cause for concern.

People that are contemplating suicide may give away their possessions to ensure that things are in order before they go. Your friend may also attempt to give prized possessions to the right people or places as a sentimental or symbolic gesture.

2. Making final arrangements

Those actively suicidal may also make changes to their will or life insurance that could benefit those left behind. Making final arrangements could also include saying goodbye to loves ones, making amends with people they may have wronged, or writing a suicide note.

3. Sudden changes in personality

Having thoughts of suicide or planning suicide can shift the most intristic part of who someone is. Your extroverted friend may become withdrawn and isolate themselves from friends or family. Your boisterous and loud friend may suddenly become calm and quiet. Maybe your depressed friend starts to express being happy or at peace with their life. These abrupt changes, even if they seem positive, can suggest that your friend has fallen deeper into their suicidal ideation or has even made the decision to go through with suicide.

4. Gaining access to lethal means

It may hit you as a warning sign when a friend in despair goes out and buys a gun. Our friends may also gather lethal means that are not as obvious. For example, they may be stockpiling pills without anyone noticing. Therefore, it is important to ask our friends about their access to lethal means in any form as access is known to increase someone’s risk of suicide (Ellis, 2019).

5. Talking or writing about death, dying or suicide

This sign may seem obvious. However, our friends may not use language that explicitly alludes to suicide. They may talk about feeling empty, purposeless, or trapped in a way that suggests they are going through a challenging time and not necessarily actively suicidal.

Your musical and artistic friends may start writing about dark themes that include suffering or death. It is important to take these expressions seriously, even if they seem like a cathartic release. Their inspiration may be coming from a dark place.

6. Increasing drug or alcohol use

Taking substances to numb your pain can suggest that your friend has a desire to escape reality. While increasing drug or alcohol use does not always mean that someone is planning suicide, it can increase their risk.

Consuming substances can also make someone more vulnerable to suicide as it can impair judgment and cloud thinking. Studies suggest that 80% of suicide attempts are impulsive. Being as alcohol increases impulsivity, this is an important risk factor to identify.

7. Dangerous or self-harm behaviour 

A friend on the verge of a suicide attempt may engage in risky and dangerous behaviors. This could include reckless driving, unsafe sex, or increased substance abuse. While these behaviours may be mistaken as a care-free or rebellious, they can send a strong message that a friend no longer values their life and no longer fears self-destruction (Pathak, 2018).

Conclusion

Each person who is struggling with suicidality possesses a unique collection of risk factors. Traumatic life experiences and mental illness are known to increase your risk of suicide. However, having compassionate friends and family provides strength and protection against suicide. While you alone cannot stop your friend from completing suicide, access to educational resources, professional help, and supportive communities can decrease someone’s risk of suicide in integral ways.

References

Ellis, E. M. (2019, Sept 20). 5 warning signs of suicidal behavior that are easy to miss. Bridges to Recovery. https://www.bridgestorecovery.com/blog/5-warning-signs-of-suicidal-behavior-that-are-easy-to-miss/

Rudd, M. D., Berman, L. A., Joiner, E. T., Nock, K. M., Silverman, M. M., Mandrusiak, M., Van Orden, K., Witte, T. (2006). Warning signs for suicide: theory, research, and clinical applications. Suicide and Life- Threatening Behavior,36(3), 255-261.

Pathak, N. (2018, June 8). Suicide warning signs: what to do and what to watch for. Web MD. https://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/depression-recognizing-signs-of-suicide – 1