Suicide Isn't a Myth, but Some of What We Believe Is
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 700,000 people die each year by suicide. Suicide is real, and it’s a real problem. However, many of the things that people believe about suicide are myths. These myths keep us from understanding suicide and helping more people want to stay alive.
This site has a simple mission: to provide the truth about suicide when we know it and identify the myths that too many believe. We don’t believe we know everything about suicide or even everything there is to know about these suicide myths. That’s why each myth includes all the evidence about the myth – even if that evidence seems to contradict our conclusion.
If you disagree with our conclusions, write us. We want to hear where we’ve got it wrong. If you have more evidence to support our conclusion that it is a myth, send it to us. We want to be comprehensive in our coverage.
If you’re here because you are considering suicide as an option, we’d urge you to help us understand your experience. We’re not a crisis center. We’d love it if you’d call a crisis center to see if they can understand your thoughts, feelings, and perspectives. Calling 988 can connect you with someone who will listen. We know that many things seem permanent, pervasive, and personal, but we’ve never found anything that really is.
The Myths
Learn more about suicide myths – and the truths hidden behind them – by following the links below.
- Mystery: Animals Don’t Die by Suicide
- Myth: Alcohol or Drugs Are Involved in Every Suicide
- Myth: All Suicides Can Be Prevented
- Myth: Asking About Suicide Will Plant the Idea
- Myth: Cosmetic Breast Surgery Causes Suicide
- Myth: Every Suicide Attempt Has Warning Signs
- Myth: If Someone Dies by Suicide, Others Will, Too
- Myth: If We Restrict One Means of Suicide, They’ll Just Pick Another
- Myth: Inpatient Hospitalization is Best for People with Suicidal Ideation
- Myth: It’s Just a Cry for Help
- Myth: Medicines Cause Suicidal Behavior
- Myth: Most People Who Die by Suicide Leave a Note
- Myth: No-Suicide Contracts Work
- Myth: Once You’ve Made an Attempt, You’ll Eventually Die by Suicide
- Myth: People Are Either Suicidal or Not
- Myth: People Will Always Volunteer Their Suicidal Ideation
- Myth: Suicidal Behavior Peaks in Winter
- Myth: Suicide Is a Form of Self-Mastery
- Myth: Suicide Is an Act of Anger, Aggression, or Revenge
- Myth: Suicide Is an Easy Escape that Cowards Use
- Myth: Suicide is Never Decided Suddenly
- Myth: Suicide Is Selfish
- Myth: Suicide Statistics Are Accurate
- Myth: The Death Scene Shows that the Cause of Death Was Suicide
- Myth: You Can Tell Who Will Die by Suicide by Their Appearance
- Myth: You Must be a Clinician to Help Prevent Suicide
- Myth: Young Children Don’t Die by Suicide
- Myth: Young Ones Should Be Lied to About Deaths by Suicide
About Us
SuicideMyths.org is a service of Robust Futures, a non-profit dedicated to improving physical and mental health of everyone. It’s born out of the loss of Alexander Mitchell Hedlund in August of 2021 to suicide. Alex was the son of Terri and Robert Bogue. His loss didn’t fit the models, so the couple decided to better understand what happened. In the process, they discovered much of what is shared in the suicide prevention space is fiction.
Robert started reading suicide books. Terri and Robert read research, attended conferences, and spoke with researchers. What they found frustrated them. Too many people were well intentioned, but they were doing things that caused more problems than they solved. Ultimately, they recognized the need to create an authoritative place where the truth and myths about suicide could be cataloged.