September is Suicide Prevention Month: Every Life Matters

Every September, communities across America pause to shine a light into the darkest corners of human struggle. It’s Suicide Prevention Month—thirty days dedicated to breaking the silence that kills more Americans than car accidents. Like a neighbor checking on you during a storm, this month reminds us that sometimes the bravest thing we can do is simply ask someone if they’re okay. Because behind every statistic is a person worth saving.

Understanding the Risk: What the Science Tells Us

When researchers study suicide risk factors, they use something called an “Odds Ratio” or OR score. Think of it like this: if the OR is 2.0, it means someone with that risk factor is twice as likely to attempt suicide as someone without it. An OR of 4.0 means four times more likely, and so on. These numbers help us understand which factors matter most, like a doctor reading vital signs to know where to focus treatment first.

The following ten risk factors represent the strongest predictors based on decades of research. Understanding them isn’t about creating fear—it’s about recognition and response.

1. Previous Suicide Attempt or Self-Harm History (OR: 8.5-10.1)

A previous suicide attempt is like a warning shot across the bow—it’s the strongest predictor we have. People who’ve attempted suicide before are 30 to 40 times more likely to try again than those who haven’t. It’s not that they’re weak or broken; it’s that they’ve crossed a psychological threshold that makes it easier to consider suicide as an option during future crises.

Self-harm, even without suicidal intent, also raises the risk significantly. Each cut or burn can lower the psychological barrier to more serious self-injury. It’s the mind’s way of practicing, unfortunately, for something more permanent.

2. Mental Health Disorders (OR: 6.8-13.1)

Mental illness doesn’t automatically mean someone will attempt suicide—most people with depression, anxiety, or other conditions live full, meaningful lives. But untreated mental health conditions are like trying to navigate a storm without a compass. Depression clouds judgment, anxiety amplifies fears, and conditions like bipolar disorder can create devastating mood swings.

The key word here is “untreated.” Mental health conditions are medical conditions, no different from diabetes or heart disease. With proper care, therapy, and sometimes medication, people can manage these conditions and dramatically reduce their suicide risk.

3. Family History of Mental Health Issues or Suicide (OR: 2.8-5.2)

Suicide can run in families, but not like eye color or height. It’s more like a perfect storm of genetics, learned behaviors, and shared trauma. Growing up in a household where mental illness went untreated, or where a family member died by suicide, creates a template for how to handle overwhelming pain.

But family history isn’t destiny. Understanding your family’s mental health patterns is like knowing you have a genetic predisposition to heart disease—it means you take extra care, get regular check-ups, and don’t ignore warning signs. Many people break the cycle through awareness and intervention.

4. Substance Abuse (OR: 3.8-14.0)

Alcohol and drugs don’t just mask pain—they amplify suicide risk in dangerous ways. Substances lower inhibitions, cloud judgment, and make impulsive decisions feel reasonable. Someone who might normally call a friend when feeling suicidal might instead act on those thoughts when intoxicated.

The statistics are sobering: alcohol is involved in 30-40% of suicide attempts, and injection drug use increases risk fourteen-fold. Substances also worsen underlying mental health conditions and create their own cycle of shame, relationship problems, and financial stress—all additional risk factors that compound each other.

5. Recent Relationship Conflicts or Life Crises (OR: 4.5-10.4)

Life’s biggest hits—divorce, job loss, death of a loved one, legal troubles—can push someone over the edge, especially when multiple crises happen close together. Research shows that adverse life events in the previous month increase suicide risk tenfold. It’s not that people are weak; it’s that everyone has a breaking point.

Relationship problems top the list of contributing factors. Humans are wired for connection, and when our most important relationships fracture—whether through breakup, divorce, or conflict—it can feel like losing our anchor in a storm.

6. Social Isolation and Unemployment (OR: 3.8-4.0)

Loneliness is more than feeling sad—it’s a health risk as dangerous as smoking. Social isolation creates a dangerous echo chamber where negative thoughts bounce around unchallenged. Without regular human connection, problems feel insurmountable and solutions impossible to see.

Unemployment compounds this isolation. Work provides more than income; it offers purpose, routine, and social connection. Losing a job can feel like losing identity, especially for men who often tie their self-worth to their work. The combination of financial stress and social disconnection creates a particularly dangerous situation.

7. Financial Problems and Low Socioeconomic Status (OR: 2.8)

Money troubles don’t just stress bank accounts—they stress minds and relationships. Financial problems often trigger a cascade of other risk factors: relationship conflicts, housing instability, inability to afford mental health care, and feelings of failure or hopelessness about the future.

Low socioeconomic status creates additional barriers to getting help. Mental health care can be expensive and hard to access. The daily stress of making ends meet leaves little energy for self-care or seeking support.

8. Chronic Physical Health Problems

Chronic pain and illness create a different kind of suffering—one that can feel endless and hopeless. When your body betrays you day after day, it’s natural for thoughts to turn dark. Physical pain often comes with emotional pain: grief for the life you used to have, fear about the future, and frustration with limitations.

Chronic conditions also strain relationships, finances, and self-image. Someone who was once active and independent may struggle with feelings of worthlessness or becoming a burden on others. The isolation that often comes with chronic illness compounds these feelings.

9. History of Trauma, Violence, or Abuse

Trauma rewires the brain in ways that can last a lifetime. Childhood abuse, sexual assault, combat exposure, or other traumatic experiences create lasting changes in how we process stress, form relationships, and view ourselves and the world. These experiences often lead to conditions like PTSD, depression, and anxiety—all of which increase suicide risk.

The shame and self-blame that often accompany trauma can be particularly dangerous. Survivors may feel irreparably damaged or believe they somehow deserved what happened to them. These distorted thoughts, left untreated, can become seeds for suicidal thinking.

10. Access to Lethal Means

This might seem obvious, but access to lethal means—especially firearms—dramatically increases suicide risk during moments of crisis. Suicide is often an impulsive act, and having easy access to deadly methods reduces the time between thought and action. Studies show that limiting access to means of suicide saves lives by giving people time to reconsider.

The most dangerous combination is someone in crisis with easy access to highly lethal means. This is why gun safety isn’t just about accidents—it’s about suicide prevention. Simple steps like using gun locks, storing ammunition separately, or temporarily removing firearms during a mental health crisis can save lives.

Take Action: How You Can Help Save Lives

suicide awareness month

Understanding risk factors is just the beginning. Real change happens when we translate knowledge into action. Here are four concrete ways you can make a difference in suicide prevention—starting today.

Get Crisis Resources Ready

Keep these numbers where you can find them quickly. Better yet, share them with friends and family. When someone is in crisis, every minute counts.

Call or Text 988 – The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline connects you with trained crisis counselors 24/7. It’s free, confidential, and available everywhere in the United States.

Crisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741741 to reach a trained crisis counselor immediately.

Emergency Services – Call 911 if someone is in immediate danger.

Check on Your People

That friend who’s been quieter lately. Your brother who lost his job. The neighbor going through a divorce. Sometimes the most powerful intervention is the simplest: “Hey, I’ve been thinking about you. How are you really doing?”

Don’t wait for someone to ask for help—most people won’t. Make the first move. Send the text. Make the call. Show up with coffee. Your presence might be the lifeline someone needs.

Connect People to Mental Health Resources

Mental health treatment works, but only if people can access it. Help break down barriers by sharing information about:

Community mental health centers that offer sliding-scale fees
Online therapy platforms that increase accessibility
Support groups both in-person and virtual
Employee assistance programs through workplaces
Student counseling services at schools and universities

Join the Prevention Movement in Your Community

Suicide prevention isn’t just for professionals—it’s for all of us. Here’s how to get involved:

Attend a Mental Health First Aid training – Learn to recognize warning signs and provide initial support until professional help arrives.

Support local mental health organizations – Volunteer, donate, or spread the word about their programs.

Advocate for better mental health policies – Contact your representatives about mental health funding, insurance coverage, and suicide prevention programs.

Create supportive environments – Whether at work, school, or in your neighborhood, help build communities where people feel safe to seek help.

Share your story – If you’ve struggled with suicidal thoughts or lost someone to suicide, consider sharing your experience. Your voice could be exactly what someone needs to hear.

Remember: You don’t need to be a mental health professional to save a life. Sometimes all it takes is one person who cares enough to notice, ask, and connect someone to help.

This September—and every month—let’s commit to being that person for each other.

Resources

Risk factors for suicide in adults: systematic review and meta-analysis of psychological autopsy studies – PMC
Suicide Risk – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf
Risk factors, protective factors, and warning signs – American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Risk and Protective Factors for Suicide – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Risk Factors Associated with Suicide – NYS Office of Mental Health’s Suicide Prevention Center
Risk and Protective Factors – Suicide Prevention Resource Center
Suicide – WHO
Individual-level risk factors for suicide mortality in the general population: an umbrella review – The Lancet Public Health
Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Lifetime Suicide Attempts in the National Comorbidity Survey – JAMA Psychiatry
Suicide Prevention – American Psychiatric Association

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