The factors that spur suicidal thoughts include both internal mental processes and environmental possibilities from weapons accessibility to family and behavioral history. Suicide is the 11th highest cause of death in the United States and the second-leading cause of death in the 25 to 34 age range, according to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC). A knowledge of factors that contribute to suicidal ideation may help you prevent a suicidal act by contacting local mental health professionals for help or by calling the National Mental Health Information Center at 1-800-789-2647.
Mental Disorders
Mental health disorders are a leading factor in suicidal ideation. According to the SPRC website, 90 percent of suicides involved mental health diagnoses. Included in that percentage were those who had substance abuse diagnoses.
Gender
Gender is another factor in suicidal ideation. According to the National Institute for Mental Health, four times as many males died by suicide as females in 2006. The SPRC website states three times as many females attempt suicide as males, but they tend to be less successful in their attempts than males. Most males (56 percent) use a gun, while the most prevalent suicide path for women (40 percent) was poison or pills, according to a NIMH report for 2006.
Ethnicity
Ethnicity is a factor in suicidal ideation. Native American Indians have the highest likelihood for suicide, at 15 per 100,000 deaths. Non-Hispanic whites come in a close second, at nearly 14 per 100,000 deaths, according to a 2006 NIMH report.
Sexual Preference
Sexual preference is a factor in suicidal ideation. According to the Medterms website, gay and bisexual people are more likely to commit suicide than heterosexuals.
Age
Age is another factor in suicidal ideation. The highest rates of suicide (48 per 100,000 deaths) were white males more than 85 years old. Other suicide rates by age reported by the NIMH for 2006 included 14 of 100,000 more than 65 years old and 12.5 in the ages 20 to 24. Adolescents 15 to 19 were at 8 per 100,000 deaths, according to the report.
Access to Firearms
Access to a weapon was another factor in suicidal ideation. According to the NIMH, firearms in the home were a factor in more than half of all suicides in 2006.
