Warning Signs for Suicide

Suicide victims generally provide one or more of the following warning signs:

• Giving away favorite possessions or making arrangements 
• A marked or noticeable change in behavior
• Previous suicide attempts and statements revealing a desire to die
• Depression. Crying, insomnia, inability to think or function, excessive sleep or appetite loss, despair 
• Inappropriate "Good-Byes"
• Verbal behavior that is ambiguous or indirect: "You won't have to worry about me anymore."
• Purchase of gun or pills
• Alcohol or drug abuse
• Sudden happiness or emphoria after a long depression
• Obsession about death and talk about suicide
• Decline in performance of work, school, or other activities
• Recent loss or suicide in the family or among friends
• Lack of interest or withdrawal
• Self-mutilation or carving
• Increased irritability or aggressiveness
• Prior suicide attempts