Environmental Risk Factors
Environmental factors include your _______ , friends and peers, community, and the media. People whose family members have a mental illness or attempt or die by suicide may have more risk for attempting suicide themselves. Crises such as _______ , death of a close family member, or _______ may strain family relationships and increase risk factors. It is important to remember that many people who face family issues never attempt suicide. They focus on _______ and strengthening family relationships. Figure 6.13 provides some techniques people can use to _______ relationships.
People who experience long-term _______ have more risk of attempting suicide. This can include exposure to abuse or neglect, racism, or violence. Another example is bullying. _______ who are bullied have a greater risk of thinking about and attempting suicide. Bullying, cyberbullying, and _______ can also lead adolescents to develop depression, which increases risk of suicide.
The prevalence of suicide in a community also affects suicide risk. Hearing about a suicide—of a friend, family member, classmate, celebrity, or even a stranger—can increase someone’s risk of a suicide attempt. This _______ risk after exposure to suicide is called suicide contagion. Some communities or groups experience a suicide cluster, which is a series of suicides or suicide attempts in a relatively short time. In these clusters, one person dies by _______ , and then other people copy this behavior.
The media can also be a risk factor. For example, after a TV show or movie _______ , the rate of suicide attempts increases in the next few weeks following the release. Media coverage does not lead most people to consider harming themselves, but can trigger a suicide attempt in people who are experiencing a mental health condition or illness. This is similar to a suicide contagion. Due to the _______ , many media organizations follow careful practices to reduce potential harm (Figure 6.14).