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Mental Health

7 Warning Signs of Suicide to Look For in Loved Ones

Lauren Smith, MASanjai Sinha, MD
Written by Lauren Smith, MA | Reviewed by Sanjai Sinha, MD
Updated on October 4, 2025
Reviewed by Sanjai Sinha, MD | October 4, 2025

Suicides often shock a community — surprising coworkers, classmates, neighbors, and even family members. The majority of suicides are linked to mental illness, such as depression and substance use disorder, which may be “invisible” to outsiders.

Sadly, many suicides are foreshadowed by classic warning signs that get missed or shrugged off. Increasing the awareness of suicide warning signs may help reduce the rate of suicides, so here’s what to look for.

References

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. (n.d.). Risk factors and warning signs.

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. (n.d.). Suicide statistics.

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Lauren Smith, MA
Written by:
Lauren Smith, MA
Lauren Smith, MA, has worked in health journalism since 2017. Before joining GoodRx, she was the senior health editor and writer for HealthiNation.
Sanjai Sinha, MD
Reviewed by:
Sanjai Sinha, MD
Sanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience. He specializes in internal medicine.

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