Suicidal? Need Help Now? Call 911 or 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) Help Save Lives! Suicide.org Suicide Causes by Kevin Caruso Over 90 percent of people who die by suicide have a mental illness at the time of their death. And the most common mental illness is depression. Untreated depression is the number one cause for suicide. Untreated mental illness (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and others) is the cause for the vast majority of suicides. Also, some people are genetically predisposed to depression, and thus they may not appear to be undergoing any negative life experiences, yet still become depressed, and may die by suicide. So, some people die by suicide because of a depression that was caused by genetics. You probably have heard about some who died by suicide and did not exhibit any symptoms or appear to have any serious problems. In these cases, it is possible that the person had depression that occured because of this genetic factor. It is very rare that someone dies by suicide because of one cause. Thus, there are usually several causes, and not just one, for suicide. Many people die by suicide because depression is triggered by several negative life experiences, and the person does not receive treatment – or does not receive effective treatment – for the depression. (Some people need to go through several treatments until they find one that works for them.) Some of the negative life experiences that may cause depression, and some other causes for depression, include: The death of a loved one. A divorce, separation, or breakup of a relationship. Losing custody of children, or feeling that a child custody decision is not fair. A serious loss, such as a loss of a job, house, or money. A serious illness. A terminal illness. A serious accident. Chronic physical pain. Intense emotional pain. Loss of hope. Being victimized (domestic violence, rape, assault, etc). A loved one being victimized (child murder, child molestation, kidnapping, murder, rape, assault, etc.). Physical abuse. Verbal abuse. Sexual abuse. Unresolved abuse (of any kind) from the past. Feeling "trapped" in a situation perceived as negative. Feeling that things will never "get better." Feeling helpless. Serious legal problems, such as criminal prosecution or incarceration. Feeling "taken advantage of." Inability to deal with a perceived "humiliating" situation. Inability to deal with a perceived "failure." Alcohol abuse. Drug abuse. A feeling of not being accepted by family, friends, or society. A horrible disappointment. Feeling like one has not lived up to his or her high expectations or those of another. Bullying. (Adults, as well as children, can be bullied.) Low self-esteem. Again, the above causes may trigger depression, and untreated depression is the number one cause for suicide. Know what the symptoms of depression are – you should review the information on the depression and suicide page of this website – and if you or someone you know is depressed, get help immediately. And remember that any untreated mental illness, including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and others, may cause suicide. If you or someone you know is suicidal,take immediate action. 1-800-273-8255) or Text Telephone: 1-800-799-4TTY (1-800-799-4889) Thank you, Kevin Caruso Suicidal? Need Help Now? Call 911 or 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) or 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) or Text Telephone: 1-800-799-4TTY (1-800-799-4889) Military Veterans Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (Press 1) Suicide Hotline in Spanish: 1-800-273-TALK (Press 2) LGBT Youth Suicide Hotline: 1-866-4-U-TREVOR Click Below For More Suicide Hotlines Suicide Hotlines No Suicide Contracts How to Help a Suicidal Person If Your Loved One Needs Hospitalization Suicide Survivors Support Groups Help & Comfort for Suicide Survivors Wall of Angels Suicide Memorials Link to Suicide.org Suicide.org Suicide.org is a 501c3 NON-PROFIT Organization and Website All Content Copyright © Suicide.org. All Rights Reserved. No material or images may be copied from Suicide.org without expressed written consent. Disclaimer and Terms of Use: Suicide.org is provided for informational and educational purposes only; is not intended to diagnose or treat suicidal individual; and is not intended to constitute medical advice. While care has been taken in the preparation of the information contained on Suicide.org, all information is provided on an "as is" basis without any representation, warranty or condition, whether express or implied, statutory or otherwise, as to: quality; accuracy; completeness; legality; reliability; efficacy; or fitness for any particular purpose. Anyone using this information does so at his or her own risk, and by using such information agrees to indemnify Suicide.org and its content providers from any and all liability, loss, injury, damages, costs and expenses (including legal fees and expenses) arising from such person's use of the information and resources on this website. Anyone who is suicidal should call 911 now and receive help from trained mental heath professionals. Despite being a leading cause of death, both in England and worldwide, there is little hard evidence to explain why some people commit suicide while other people in similar circumstances do not. However, some important factors that make suicide more likely have been identified. These are explained below. Vulnerability to suicide Many experts believe that several factors determine how vulnerable a person is to suicidal thinking and behaviour. Factors that make someone more vulnerable include: genetics and family history - see below life history - for example having a traumatic experience during childhood, such as a bereavement mental health - for example developing a serious mental health condition, such as schizophrenia lifestyle - people who misuse alcohol and drugs are at increased risk of suicidal thoughts job - poor job security, low levels of job satisfaction or not having a job can increase a person’s risk of dying by suicide relationships - people who are socially isolated and have few close relationships with others have a higher risk of dying by suicide As well as these factors, one or more stressful events may push a person "over the edge" and lead to suicidal thinking and behaviour. The amount of stress it takes to do this will depend on the person’s level of vulnerability. In some cases, it may only take a minor event, such as having an argument with a partner. In other cases, it may take one or more very stressful or upsetting events before a person feels suicidal, such as a partner dying or being diagnosed with a terminal illness. In many cases, it may take a combination of different factors to increase a person's risk of suicidal thoughts. Mental health conditions Having a mental health condition is the most significant risk factor for suicide. It is estimated that 90% of people who attempt or die by suicide have one or more mental health conditions. The mental health conditions that lead to the biggest risk of suicide are described below. Severe depression Severe depression is where a person has severe symptoms of despair and hopelessness that interfere with their life. People with severe depression are 20 times more likely to attempt suicide than the general population. Bipolar disorder Bipolar disorder is where a person swings from feeling very high and happy to feeling very low and depressed. About 1 in 3 people with bipolar disorder will attempt suicide at least once, and 1 in 10 people with the condition will take their own life. Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a long-term mental health condition that causes hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not real), delusions (believing in things that are not true) and changes in behaviour. It is estimated that 1 in 20 people with schizophrenia will take their own life. People with schizophrenia are most at risk of suicide when their symptoms first begin. The risk reduces as they learn to cope with their