Untreated mental illness (including depression, bipolar disorder and others) is the cause for the vast majority of suicides.

The death of a loved one.

A divorce, separation, or break-up of a relationship.

Losing custody of children or feeling that a child custody decision is not fair.

A serious loss, such as a loss of a job, house, or money.

Make your alcoholic husband responsible for his actions. Every time you make excuses for him or shielded him, you have just paid for the next drink.

A serious illness.

A serious accident.

Chronic physical pain.

Intense emotional pain.

Loss of hope.

Being victimized (domestic violence, rape, assault, etc).

A loved one being victimized (child murder, child molestation, kidnapping, murder, rape, assault, etc.).

Physical abuse.

Verbal abuse.

Sexual abuse.

Unresolved abuse (of any kind) from the past.

Feeling "trapped" in a situation perceived as negative.

Feeling that things will never "get better".

Serious legal problems, such as criminal prosecution or incarceration.

Inability to deal with a perceived "humiliating" situation. Inability to deal with a perceived "failure."

Alcohol abuse or Drug abuse

A feeling of not being accepted by family, friends, or society.

Feeling like one has not lived up to his or her high expectations or those of another.

Bullying. (Adults, as well as children, can be bullied).

Someone is in a hospital does not mean that he or she will not die by suicide. So, again, stay with the person as much as possible. Always take suicidal comments very seriously.

Listen attentively to everything that the person has to say.

Comfort the person with words of encouragement.

Let the person know that you are deeply concerned.

If the person is at a high risk of suicide, do not leave him or her alone.

Talk openly about suicide.

If the person talks about using a firearm that he or she owns for suicide, call the police so they may remove the firearms.

Be careful of the statements that you make.

Listen, listen, and listen. Be gentle, kind, and understanding.

Let the person express emotion in the way that he or she wants.

After the person has received help and is no longer critically bent to commit suicide, help the person make an appointment with a medical doctor for a therapy.

Before you leave the person, make sure that he or she has received professional help from qualified mental health professional or that the risk of suicide has dissipated.

If someone tells you that you need to keep his or her suicidal intentions a secret, then you never can keep that as a "secret".

Follow up with the person on a regular basis to make sure that he or she is doing okay.