About Suicide

 

Suicide refers to death as a result of self-inflicted harm where the intention was to die.

Attempted suicide refers to self-inflicted harm where the intention was to die but death does not occur.

 

 

Suicidal ideation refers to thinking about or planning for the taking of one’s own life. These thoughts that may or may not lead to a suicide attempt.

 

 

Self-harm refers to any behaviour that involves deliberate injury to oneself and where death does not occur and the intention may or may not have been to die. This includes cutting, burning or hitting oneself, overdosing on prescription or illegal drugs or repeatedly putting oneself in dangerous situations. Self-harm is usually a response to distress, which may or may not be mental illness related. All self-harm deserves serious assessment.