06 _Suicide warning signs

There are some significant, and well established warnings signs from people at risk of suicide.

 
 

LANGUAGE

  • I can’t do this anymore.

  • I can’t take this anymore.

  • I won’t be around forever.

  • I just want to go to sleep and not wake up.

  • What is the point?

  • I just want it all to be over.

  • I just want it all to go away. 

 
  • Suddenly very quiet
  • Complete shutdown
  • Stops communicating
  • Talks about death in a sombre tone, rather than curious

MOOD

  • Withdrawn

  • Sudden relief/relaxed mood

  • Different to usual energy and character

  • Losing interest in previous activities

 
  • Becoming numb, accepting that bad things will just happen, no push back or fight, no attempt to make things better, no energy.

PHYSICAL

  • Sleep issues

 
  • Many autistic people have sleep issues, so it needs to be different to usual patterns.

  • Taking less care of appearance.

  • Weight loss or gain. 

BEHAVIOUR

  • Giving away possessions

  • Writing a will

  • Writing a manual for a business

  • Writing lists of passwords to access accounts

  • Writing letters

  • Writing suicide notes

  • Researching ways to die

  • Buying or getting access to something dangerous

  • Increased alcohol or other drug (AOD) use

 
  • Despite a widely held belief that autistic people do not have AOD problems, this isn’t the case and therefore they can have a myriad of risk factors (i.e., AOD + mental health diagnosis + autism). The more co-occurring difficulties someone has, the higher their suicide risk. Autistic people can use AOD to escape intense emotion and suicidal thoughts.

  • Increased high risk behaviour (e.g., speeding, spending money)

  • Self-harm behaviour

  • Saying good-bye

  • Drawing or writing about death or suicide  

 

 WARNING SIGNS TO BE MORE AWARE OF IF PERSON IS AUTISTIC
(either escalating from previous behaviours or emerging as new):

  •  Self-harm behaviour

  •  ‘Escapism’: alcohol, drugs, work, obsessions

  •  Lack of motivation

  •  Skipping meals

  •  Significant withdrawal, being very quiet, being very reserved

  •  Aggression

  •  Increase in ‘meltdowns’ or ‘shutdowns’: emotional overwhelm

  •  Increase in watching TV shows with themes of death and suicide

  •  Increase in listening to songs with themes about death and suicide

    •  Autistic people often have very specific interests. For some people this can be the idea of death and may not actually represent suicidal thinking. However, you won’t know if you don’t ask.

  •  Drawing about death

  •  Giving away money and personal items

  •  Clearing out lockers, desks, etc.

  •  Increased mistakes in work (paid or domestic)

  •  Arranging care for pets

  •  Difficulty concentrating