Suicide Risk Factors and Signs

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Have you ever thought about taking your own life? Worldwide, about 9.2 percent of people experience thoughts about suicide at some point, and in the United States, 15.6 percent of adults report lifetime suicidal ideation (Nock et al., 2008). In a given year, about 4.3 percent of the U.S. population experiences these thoughts (Ivey-Stephenson et al., 2022). Of those who contemplate suicide, roughly a third make a plan, and nearly 29 percent attempt suicide (Nock et al., 2008). Suicide remains a top cause of death in Europe and North America, and is the leading cause of death among young people (Baryshnikov & Isometsä, 2022).

Risk Factors for Suicide

What risk factors contribute to suicide?

A recent review of 46 meta-analyses found major risk factors for suicide mortality include justice system involvement (especially after release), exposure to suicide of a close family member or friend, firearm accessibility, divorce, foster care experience, and unemployment in midlife. The strongest risk factors for suicide attempt and ideation are childhood maltreatment, sexual assault, LGBTQ identification, homelessness, and incarceration (Na et al., 2025). In European and North American psychological autopsy studies, about 90 percent of people who died by suicide had a mental disorder, and about 60 percent had mood disorders (Baryshnikov & Isometsä, 2022).

While these risk factors tell us who might be prone to consider suicide, they don’t tell us when suicide might be imminent.

Suicide Crisis Syndrome

Galynker (2017) proposed an emotional state called the “suicide crisis syndrome” (SCS) to help us understand what people are thinking, feeling, and wanting to do when considering suicide. He explained that trait vulnerabilities contribute to unhelpful narratives, which then contribute to suicide crisis.

Trait vulnerabilities: Traits that increase vulnerability include a history of prior attempts or loved ones dying by suicide, impulsivity, hopelessness, perfectionism, fearlessness, and cultural acceptability. Joiner’s Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (Joiner et al., 2009) explains that exposure to violence or death (combat, abuse, self-injury, painful medical procedures, or certain jobs) increases the capability for suicide. In my research with veterans, cultural values—like selflessness, pride, or a personal relationship with suffering—can increase vulnerability to suicide (Lusk et al., 2015).

Unhelpful narratives: Certain thought patterns can lead to suicidal ideation. The SCS identifies ruminating on unrealistic life goals, feeling entitled to happiness, humiliation, perceiving no future, thwarted belonging, and perceived burdensomeness. In my........

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