Suicidal Behavior Triggers
Certain stressful events may bring about suicidal behavior. These are
"triggers." They are things that happen to or around an individual. They may
push someone with one or more risk factors toward suicidality.
Some common triggers are:
● The break up of a
close personal relationship (e.g., engagement or marriage),
losing old friends, or interpersonal conflicts
● The death of a close relative or
friend
● Suicide loss, especially a child,
parent, spouse, or sibling
● Financial loss or incurring major
indebtedness
● Rejection (e.g., not getting a
job or promotion, not be accepted to a college or
graduate school, etc.)
● Loss of self-esteem or status
(e.g., losing a job, failing at school, being cut from a
team, etc.) or feeling humiliated.
● Becoming seriously ill or
disabled
● Facing arrest, trial, prison, or
other legal difficulty
It is thought that triggers interact with risk factors to produce
suicidal thoughts (ideation), which may lead to other more serious forms of
suicidal behavior.
