Reasons People Call a Suicide Crisis Hotline

The reasons people are driven to think about suicide are vast and the reasons that people call a suicide crisis hotline also run the gamut. Reasons may be family- or friend-related or personal. What's clear is that when someone phones one of these suicide crisis hotlines is that they are in crisis for their own, personal reasons. Crisis hotlines do not judge people for being suicidal nor do they judge their reasons for calling. If you are in crisis now, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at:

• 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
• To chat online with a counselor, click here: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/
• The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website: http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
• For the hearing impaired, contact the Lifeline by TTY at: 1-800-799-4889

What Is a Suicide Crisis?

Anytime a person is considering suicide, it is a crisis. People outside of crises do not consider taking their own lives, so when one is truly considering suicide, it should always be taken seriously. It's critical to reach out during a suicide crisis as people want to help, but you have to reach out first to get that help.

Reasons a Person Might Be in Crisis

People arrive at suicide crisis for many reasons but, typically, it's because they're overwhelmed by a problem they may not be able to solve themselves. For example, a teen who is constantly getting bullied at school may not be able to stop the bullying without outside help and if the teen has tried to get help and the bullying hasn't stopped, he or she could easily become overwhelmed with the situation and such situations can, and do, lead to thinking about suicide.

Another example of a person who may be in crisis is a person with a mental illness such as depression. A person suffering from depression, particularly if they're not in treatment, may be driven to suicidal feelings because of an illness they didn't not ask for and cannot control. A person with depression will likely need professional help to get them out of this crisis.

Reasons People Call a Suicide Crisis Hotline

Generally, it is only an overwhelming crisis that leads people to feel that taking their own lives is the only way out. It is in this state that people become suicidal and call a hotline. According to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the reasons people have called their hotline include:

• Substance abuse
• Economic concerns
• Relationship and family problems
• Sexual orientation
• Abuse
• Mental and physical illness
• Loneliness

The Lifeline emphasizes that anyone in a crisis may call, whether they are considering suicide or not.