Suicide - Possible Risk factors

• Relationship problems/breakup - spouse, partner, friend
• Loss - person, job (retirement/redundancy), limb, health, relationship
• Drug use
• Previous suicide attempts
• Family history of suicide- suicide is not directly inherited but if someone believes it is, then the risk increases
• Depression and history of psychological distress
• Financial problems - gambling
• Illness- pain, disability, terminal illness
• History of long-term abuse
• Intrapersonal and interpersonal isolation
• Physical isolation- historically rates of rural suicide have been much higher
• Employment/unemployment worries
• Gender-males have higher completion rates of suicide and women have higher attempt rates of suicide. One of the proposed explanations for these findings, are that men tend to use more lethal means.
• Sexuality - unresolved sexual issues
• Having a plan and having the means available