Topic Overview
The following warning signs may be present in adults who
have a high risk for suicide:
- or other mental health
condition, such as severe
,
(manic-depressive illness), or
- Depression followed by
sudden cheerfulness and contentment, which may mean the person has made a
decision to finalize a
- A previous suicide
attempt
- Preoccupation with death in
conversations
- Giving away personal possessions
Factors that may increase the risk of suicide include
having:
- A family member who has committed
suicide.
- A family history of depression, bipolar disorder, or
schizophrenia.
- A history of physical or sexual
abuse.
- Diagnosis of a serious medical illness.
- Failing
relationships.
- A divorce.
- A recent life change, such as
a death of a spouse or other member of the family, marriage, break-up of a
marriage, the birth of a child, a job loss, a job promotion or demotion, or
legal problems.
FDA Advisory. The U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an
advisory on antidepressant medicines and the risk of
suicide. The FDA does not recommend that people stop using these medicines. Instead, a person taking antidepressants should be watched for
warning signs of suicide. This is especially important at the beginning of treatment or when doses are changed.