Protective & Risk Factors
Protective Factors

The following are protective factors associated (by empiral study) with a decreased occurrence of suicidal behavior. However this list is not considered to be prioritized nor exhaustive.
Individual
- Cultural and religious beliefs thatdiscourage suicide and support self preservation
- Support through ongoing health and mental health care relationships
- Coping/problem solving skills
- Resiliency, self esteem, direction, mission, determination, perseverance, optimism, empathy
- Intellectual competence (youth)
- Reasons for living
Peer/Family
- Family cohesion (youth)
- Sense of social support
- Interconnectedness
- Married/Parent
- Access to comprehensive health care
Community
- Access to healthcare and mental health car
- Social support, close relationships, caring adults, participation and bond with school
- Respect for help-seeking behavior
- Skills to recognize and respond to signs of risk
Society
- Urban/Suburban
- Access to health care & mental health care
- Cultural values affirming life
- Media influence
Source: Suicide Prevention Resource Center, Strategic Planning for Suicide Prevention: Core Community Competencies Workshop, Resource Sheet 1-1.
Risk Factors
The following are risk factors associated (by empiral study) with an increased occurance of suicidal behavior. However this list is not considered to be prioritized nor exhaustive.
Individual
- Mental disorders:
- Depression
- Schizophrenia
- Anxiety disorders
- Borderline Personality Disorder
- ”States of Mind:”
- Hopelessness
- Impulsivity
- Low self-esteem
- Psychic pain
- Behaviors:
- Social withdrawal
- Alcohol or drug abuse
- Aggressive tendencies or history of violent behavior
- Previous suicide attempt
- Gender:
- Male (for completions)
- Female (for attempts)
- Older age
- Race
- White
- Native American
- History:
- Previous psychiatric treatment
- History of trauma or abuse
- Suicide ideation
- Physical
- Low CSF 5-HIAA
- Low cholesterol blood levels
- Low blood glucose
- Access to means (e.g., firearms, poisons)
Peer/Family
- History of interpersonal violence, conflict, abuse, bullying
- Family history of alcoholism
- Social isolation: low or lack of social support and sense of isolation
- Exposure to suicidal behavior: family history of suicide
- Exposure to suicide
- Stigma associated with help-seeking behavior
- Barriers to accessing health care, especially mental health services and substance abuse treatment
- No-longer married
- Loss of close attachment relationship (e.g., divorce, death of spouse)
- Access to means (e.g., firearms, poisons)
Community
- Access to lethal means: (e.g., bridges)
- Unemployment or financial loss
- Relational or social loss/humiliation
- Local clusters of suicide that have a contagious influence
- Barriers to health care and mental health care
- Stigma
- Exposure to suicide (e.g., media or memorials)
Society
- Certain Cultural and religious beliefs (e.g., suicide is a noble resolution of a personal dilemma)
- Societal breakdown
- Western geography
- Rural/Remote
- Cultural values and attitudes Media influence
- Alcohol misuse and abuse
- Economic instability
Source: Suicide Prevention Resource Center, Strategic Planning for Suicide Prevention: Core Community Competencies Workshop, Resource Sheet 1-1.
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