There are several warning signs that someone may be at increased risk of suicide, and they are:
- suicide notes — these should always be taken seriously
- threatening suicide — direct or indirect
- previous attempts of suicide
- depression, particularly in the presence of thoughts of helplessness and hopelessness
- risk-taking behavior, particularly anything involving gun play, aggression, or substance abuse
- making final arrangements — this might involve giving away prized possessions
- efforts to hurt themselves, such as self-mutilating behavior and self-destructive acts
- inability to concentrate or think rationally
- changes in physical habits and appearance, such as insomnia or hypersomnia (sleeping far too much), sudden weight gain or loss, disinterest in basic hygiene
- great interest in death and suicidal themes — it might manifest in their journal, school papers, drawings
- sudden changes in friends, personality and behavior, or withdrawal from family and friends
- increased interest in things dealing with suicide — a sudden interest in guns or other weapons, pills, or even alluding to suicidal plans
- vulnerable teens and young adults swayed by media reports of celebrity suicides, or the romanticized representation of suicide in movies and television
- low levels of communication between parent and child — family discord has not been decisively shown to be a major risk factor for suicide, but it further exacerbates other problems such as depression, alcohol and drug abuse
- being bullied or victimized, or being a bully