"Risk" is a Concept Used to Predict the Chance a Behavior Will Occur
"Risk" is a concept used to predict the chance a behavior will occur. Suicide risk factors are things that increase the potential for a person's suicide or suicidal behavior. Findings from recent research have shown that most youth suicides are the result of an interaction between biological, psychological, socio-cultural, and family factors. A person's age, gender, or ethnicity can increase the impact of certain risk factors or combinations of risk factors for them. A suicidal act can be seen as the result of an interaction between background personal and family factors, current emotional state and recent significant life event which lead to an intolerable mental anguish in the young person. The "ingredients" required for completed or attempted suicide vary from individual to individual. Understanding risk factors can help counteract the myth that suicide is a random act or results from stress alone. There are, however, common risk factors that we do know about: 1) previous attempts, 2) depression, 3) drug and alcohol abuse, 4) conduct disorder & behavioral factors, 5) a disruptive and unsupportive family background, 6) relationship conflicts, 7) social and cultural factors, 8) poor coping skills, 9) psychiatric illnesses, 10) the ready availability of lethal means to commit suicide, and 11) Other risk factors.