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Suicide is associated with several risk and protective factors. Like other human behaviors, suicide has no single determining cause, instead occurring in response to multiple biological, psychological, interpersonal, environmental, and societal influences that coincide, often over time. A combination of situations could lead someone to consider suicide. Risk factors increase the possibility of suicide but may not be direct causes.

Known Risk Factors

• Individual: history of depression and/or other mental illnesses, hopelessness, substance abuse, certain health conditions, previous suicide attempts, violence victimization and perpetration, genetic/biological determinants
• Relationship: high conflict or violent relationships, sense of isolation, lack of social support, family/loved one’s history of suicide, financial and/or work stress
• Community: inadequate community connectedness, barriers to health care (e.g., lack of access to providers and medications)
• Societal: availability of lethal means of suicide, unsafe media portrayals of suicide, stigma associated with help-seeking and mental illness

There are individual characteristics and steps communities can take that may help protect people from suicidal thoughts and behavior. More research is needed identifying and understanding protective factors that help lessen risk factors.*

*Information from Florida Health website