Suicide

If this is an emergency, please contact a mental health professional or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at any of the following numbers:

1.800.273.TALK (1.800.273.8255) (Veterans press option 1)
1.800.SUICIDE (1.800.784.2433)
1.888.SUICIDE (1.888.784.2433)
1.877.SUICIDA (1.877.784.2432) or 1.888.628.9454 (Spanish)
1.800.799.4TTY (1.800.799.4889) (TTY)

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has partnered with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to help military veterans. When calling, military veterans should choose option 1, which will route them to the Veterans Suicide Prevention Hotline. Specific information for military veterans is available. For veterans who prefer reaching out for assistance using the Internet, the VA provides a one-to-one chat service called Veterans Chat . This service is also available to the family and friends of veterans who wish to speak anonymously with a trained VA counselor.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) offers additional information on suicide prevention , including suicide facts and statistics .

You may also wish to view suicide prevention information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) . They also provide information on violence and suicide prevention .

Suicide is the eleventh most common cause of death in the United States. People may consider suicide when they are hopeless and cannot see any other solution to their problems. Often, serious depression , alcohol or substance abuse, or major stressful events play a roll.

Suicide Warning Signs:

Threatening to hurt or kill oneself or talking about wanting to hurt or kill oneself
Looking for ways to kill oneself by seeking access to firearms, pills, or other means
Talking or writing about death, dying, or suicide when these actions are out of the ordinary for the person
Feeling hopeless
Feeling rage or uncontrolled anger or seeking revenge
Acting reckless or engaging in risky activities-- seemingly without thinking
Feeling trapped-- like there is no way out
Increasing alcohol or drug use
Withdrawing from friends, family, and society
Feeling anxious, agitated, unable to sleep or sleeping all the time
Experiencing dramatic mood changes
Seeing no reason for living or having no sense of purpose in life

Therapy and medicines can help most people who have suicidal thoughts. Treating mental illnesses and substance abuse can reduce the risk of suicide.

Additional Resources:

The short link for this FAQ is http://1.usa.gov/ncBQVi