Although individual motives for suicide vary, there are some common warning signs. These signs may indicate that someone is at risk or is having personal, family or school problems.

Suicides seldom occur without warning. If you are aware of common signs and of changes in behaviour, you can recognize and better help a person in crisis. These signs represent behaviors that can serve as a warning sign. The warning signs are usually physical, emotional and behavioral in nature:

Physical Signs

• Neglect of personal appearance.
• Sudden changes in manner of dress, especially when the new style is completely out of character.
• Chronic or unexplained illness, aches and pains.
• Sudden weight gain or loss.
• Sudden change in appetite.

Emotional Clues

• Sense of hopelessness, helplessness or futility.
• Inability to enjoy or appreciate friendships.
• Wide mood changes and sudden outbursts.
• Anxiousness, extreme tension and agitation.
• Lethargy or tiredness.
• Changes in personality: from outgoing to withdrawn, from polite to rude, from compliant to rebellious, from well-behaved to "acting out."
• Loss of the ability to concentrate; daydreaming.
• Depression, sadness.
• Loss of rational thought.
• Feelings of guilt and failure.
• Self-destructive thoughts.
• Exaggerated fears of cancer, AIDS or physical impairment.
• Feelings of worthlessness or of being a burden.
• Loss of enjoyment from activities formerly enjoyed.

Behavioral Signs

• Decreased school activity; isolation. Sudden drop in achievement and interest in school subjects.
• Loss of interest in hobbies, sports, work etc.
• Unexplained use of alcohol or other drugs.
• Increased use of alcohol or other drugs.
• Withdrawal from family and former friends, sometimes acting in a manner which forces others away.
• Changes in eating and/or sleeping habits.
• Changes in friendship.
• Running away from home; "skipping school."
• Accident proneness and increase in risk-taking behavior such as careless driving, bike accidents, dangerous use of firearms.
• Sexual promiscuity.
• Giving away prized possessions (e.g. CD collection).
• Preoccupation with thoughts of death.
• Sudden changes in personality.
• Making a will; writing poetry or stories about suicide or death.
• Quietly putting affairs in order, "taking care of business."
• Threatening suicide.
• Hoarding pills, hiding weapons, describing methods for committing suicide.
• Previous suicide attempts.

While all of these signs may indicate that a person is experiencing problems, the last five behavioral signs are especially significant. (These signs indicate that a decision to complete suicide may have been made.) A previous attempt is a particularly important sign. Such an attempt increases the risk of future ones. In any of the signs, the key word is CHANGE.

The symptoms of depression, including the list of "acting out" behaviors and the common warning signs for suicide are very similar. Together, they provide ways to recognize a person at risk.