RISE Blog | The Warning Signs of Suicide

Written By: Mary Carmen Dorantes, Peer Educator
Edited By: Kai McDonald & Mak Klie
September 18th, 2023

Trigger Warning: This blog contains heavy themes surrounding suicide and mentions self-harm.

The Importance

Scientists have studied the intentions behind suicide parallel to society fighting to understand them. That research has proved that suicidal thoughts and ideations often have no single “cause” behind them, and these ideations can increase or become more complex in college. Therefore, we need to be aware of the variety of signals, signs, or behavior changes that can occur from a person of concern. Most people who complete suicide often display one or more warning signs through their actions or words. We must know what to look out for so we can bring awareness to these signs and implement approaches of peer-to-peer support. This can lead to the increase and spread of knowledge about suicide prevention on college campuses.

The Issue

Suicide has become the leading cause of death among college students, with no single cause or explanation as to why. In 2022, a survey was conducted asking college students about suicidal ideations and self-harm. 2% of college students stated that they had attempted suicide in the past year, 5% had made a plan, and nearly 25% of students had intentionally harmed themselves. These statistics are higher than trends over the previous fifteen years (Welding, 2023). Reports vary between campuses, with the same surveys revealing that different populations or groups are at a higher risk than others. Certain gender and ethnic groups within college campuses have reported higher suicide rates than their peers. Pacific-Islander, Native American, and African American students report higher suicide attempts than other groups. Students who identify as transgender have also reported higher rates of suicidal ideation and behavior than cisgender students. It is important to note that these high statistics come from a longitudinal study performed across 13 large Midwestern Universities (Welding, 2023).

While these statistics are intimidating, suicide is a preventable cause of death. Through methods like peer support and prevention education, we can reach people who need help the most. Some people are often ashamed or feel embarrassed to ask for help during a hard time in life or to discuss such a stigmatized topic with each other. Asking for help is nothing to be ashamed of and no one should struggle alone. This taboo surrounding the discussion of suicide is counterproductive, as knowing the warning signs and available resources can save one or multiple lives. Our goal as peer educators is to help students learn preventative approaches to take against suicide while destigmatizing the conversation by having open and honest conversations about it. The first step in that goal is teaching each other what to look out for: what signs or symptoms of concern need to be identified, and when to seek professional help.

Looking Out

As we have established, there is no single cause for suicide and often there are a variety of risk factors or warning signs that can increase the probability of an attempt. Being aware of these warning signs allows you to become an active bystander if someone is exhibiting them. This alone can save lives and create supportive communities. A common risk factor is when high stressors (like intense schoolwork or dramatic life changes) and health issues (like existing mental health or chronic pain disorders) come together and create a complex experience of hopelessness and despair. A person's current mental state can also be its own factor, depression being most often associated with a higher risk of suicide attempt. While these factors can increase that probability, many other factors often contribute to the feelings of hopelessness that can lead to suicide attempts. Other conditions or factors such as grief, anxiety, trauma, past attempts, and substance abuse increase the risk of suicide (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, 2022). Despite raising awareness about those risk factors, even those who do not experience these specific signs are not excluded. Our friends who seem “fine” or “happy” can face triggers that influence the way they respond or react, potentially leading to thoughts of suicide.

As mentioned, there are some direct warning signs that can be identified before an attempt of suicide. They can be, but are not limited to:

Words:

This could be considered one of the most “obvious” signs but can be difficult to distinguish when it is disguised as a joke. When an individual makes a strong comment about wanting to end their life, it is vital to stop them and ask if their feelings are genuine, or if they are in need of support.

These comments could include:

Having no reason to live
Feeling hopeless
Being a burden to others
Unbearable pain
Feeling trapped

Actions:

There are actions an individual could start, stop, or openly discuss doing. These actions can be regarded as stress responses, but they could also be signs of a deeper concern. If your friends' behavior changes quickly and drastically, open a conversation with them about it to prevent further harm.

These actions exhibited could be:

Increased use of alcohol and/or drugs
Withdrawing from favorite activities
Isolating from family and friends
Sleeping too much or too little
Giving away important possessions
Visiting or calling people to say “goodbye”
Sudden interest or disinterest in their spirituality

Mood:

The difference between situational and clinical disorders cannot be distinguished by a friend, but you can still offer them support. Suppose someone is on the verge of having a mental breakdown or is experiencing a crisis that needs to be addressed by a professional. If an individual consistently (over 1-2 weeks) shows this behavior, then you are encouraged to speak up.

These moods could be displayed as (American Association for Suicide Prevention, 2022):

Depression/constant melancholic disposition
Anxiety/constantly restless behavior
Loss of interest/indifference to their surroundings
Irritability/Agitation/Anger
Recklessness
Extreme mood swings

Signs, risk factors, and behaviors can vary from person to person, so it's essential to ask as soon as a sign is seen to avoid escalation. There are multiple approaches we can take to check in with our friends. Asking the question directly (Are you struggling with thoughts of suicide?), offering campus resources, or discussing healthy coping mechanisms can all be great places to start. However, it's important to remember that you can only do so much as a student. If a concern escalates to an extremity, or begins negatively impacting your own health, the person of concern needs to be directed to professional help. Most importantly, you have to be your own first priority. That's why our campus has resources! If you or someone close to you is struggling, it's ok to ask for resources and support outside of your own circle. Always remember to take care of yourself and take a step back if things become too intense.

From Here

Now, we know the risk factors and warning signs of suicide, but knowing what to do outside of recognizing the problem can be tricky. Lack of training, experience, or complications with empathy are all reasons you may feel hesitant to address a situation.

Here are some do's and don'ts recommended by the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline that can be used to direct your approach:

Do:

Be direct. Talk openly and matter-of-factly about suicide.
Be willing to listen. Allow expressions of feelings. Accept the feelings.
Be non-judgmental.
Get involved. Become available. Show interest and support.
Offer hope that alternatives are available but do not offer glib (showing little forethought or preparation) reassurance.
Take action. Remove means, like weapons or pills.
Get help from people or agencies specializing in crisis intervention and suicide prevention.

Don't:

Debate whether suicide is right or wrong, or whether feelings are good or bad.
Lecture them on the value of life.
Dare him or her to do it.
Act shocked. This will put distance between you.
Be sworn to secrecy. Seek support.

The last “Do” bullet point is crucial, especially if you need to step back to take care of yourself. Sometimes we can't offer the kind of support someone needs, and that's ok! There are several student groups and peer-supporting offices here on Texas Tech's campus. RISE is a great resource that aids in suicide prevention and awareness. Our staff and peer educators receive special training known as QPR (Question, Persuade, and Refer) to help students reach out to those in need. This training is from an evidence-based suicide program developed in 1995 by Dr. Paul Quinnet (Samuolis et al., 2019). The training objectives include building knowledge, self-efficacy, and skills to question, persuade, and refer someone to seek help if they are struggling with suicidal ideation or attempt. This training makes us a great resource whether you are the person in need or not. If you find yourself in a situation where there is a concern of suicide ideation and you aren't sure what to do, you can always reach out to the RISE office! While we cannot offer licensed help, we can help you come up with a plan of action and get you connected to the support you need.

Suicide is preventable and, you may not know it, but there are tons of resources for students on campus. RISE provides an extensive list of mental health resources on our website. For example, a telehealth application, Telus Health Student Support, can get students in contact with a licensed counselor from the Student Counseling Center whenever they need it. There is also access to mental health therapy groups hosted daily at the Center of Collegiate Recovery Communities, free to students. The Student Mental Health Community at Tech is another group mental health support system if needed. Help is available and resources are ready for students in need, regardless of when that need occurs. If you find that immediate support is needed, you can always call the student crisis line (806-742-5555) for 24/7 support. This number can be found with a quick google search, or on the back of your student ID.

Most importantly, always be on the lookout for warning signs and risk factors among yourself and your friends. Suicide can be extremely isolating, making you feel hopeless or lost. But here at Texas Tech, you are never alone. No matter what you are going through, there is someone here to help and support you, however you need it. Hopefully, now you can be one of those resources of support yourself! That's why it's so important to spread this knowledge to our friends and communities. The more supportive we become as a community, the more lives we can positively impact together. Your story isn't ready to be completed; you are never as alone as you might feel.