Understanding suicide

What is common to all suicidal individuals is a sense of loss. This loss may include:

• A change for the worse. Or, the fear that there may be a change for the worse.
• A loss of hope that things will improve in the future.

If a person is unable to cope with the loss, they can experience an emotional crisis. This means that the loss/losses become overwhelming. If the crisis is not resolved, it can sometimes lead to suicide.

Triggering events that are linked to suicide

A major change in a person's life (loss) can create a lot of stress and bring them to consider ending their life to stop the pain.

Examples of these kinds of changes are:

• A key relationship unraveling or ending
• Crisis at home (abuse, divorce, financial, addictions)
• A severe change in social status or sense of belonging (rejection)
• Unemployment or loss of valued ability
• Fear of facing discipline (for example from school authorities or police)
• Trauma from sexual or other assault
• Trauma from serious illness or injury