Need help now?
If you or someone you know is in crisis now, please call 911 or your local crisis line.
It’s important to know how to recognize when someone may be at risk of suicide. A useful tool that outlines key points of what to look for spells “IS PATH WARM”:
- I Ideation: thinking about suicide
- S Substance use: problems with drugs or alcohol
- P Purposelessness: feeling like there is no purpose in life or reason for living
- A Anxiety: feeling intense anxiety or feeling overwhelmed and unable to cope
- T Trapped: feeling trapped or feeling like there is no way out of a situation
- H Hopelessness or Helplessness: feeling no hope for the future, feeling like things will never get better
- W Withdrawal: avoiding family, friends, or activities
- A Anger: feeling unreasonable anger
- R Recklessness: engaging in risky or harmful activities normally avoided
- M Mood change: a significant change in mood
It’s OK to ask
If someone is displaying any of these warning signs, it’s important to ask directly whether they are considering suicide. Learn how to ask.
Even if you’re unsure whether someone you care about is displaying any of these signs, but you are still worried that they may be considering suicide, it’s OK to ask. Asking someone about suicide will not give them the idea—talking about suicide with someone who may be considering it reduces the risk that they may attempt, and they may feel relieved to be able to talk about it.