Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death.

[7] Mental disorders,

including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders,
and substance abuse—including alcoholism and the use of benzodiazepines—are risk
factors.[2][4][8] Some suicides are impulsive acts due to stress, such as from financial difficulties,
troubles with relationships, or bullying.[2][9] Those who have previously attempted suicide are at a
higher risk for future attempts.[2] Effective suicide prevention efforts include limiting access to
methods of suicide—such as firearms, drugs, and poisons; treating mental disorders and substance
misuse; proper media reporting of suicide; and improving economic conditions.[2][10] Even
though crisis hotlines are common, there is little evidence for their effectiveness.[11][12]
The most commonly used method of suicide varies between countries, and is partly related to the
availability of effective means.[13] Common methods of suicide include hanging, pesticide poisoning,
and firearms.[2][3] Suicides resulted in 828,000 global deaths in 2015, an increase from 712,000
deaths in 1990.[6][14] This makes suicide the 10th leading cause of death worldwide.[4][15]
Approximately 0.5% of people die by suicide.[16] In a given year this is roughly 12 per 100,000
people.[15] Rates of completed suicides are generally higher among men than among women, ranging
from 1.5 times as much in the developing world to 3.5 times in the developed world.[1] Suicide is
generally most common among those over the age of 70; however, in certain countries, those aged
between 15 and 30 are at the highest risk.[1] Europe had the highest rates of suicide by region in
2015.[17] There are an estimated 10 to 20 million non-fatal attempted suicides every year.[18] Non-fatal
suicide attempts may lead to injury and long-term disabilities.[16] In the Western world, attempts are
more common among young people and among females.[16]
Views on suicide have been influenced by broad existential themes such as religion, honor, and the
meaning of life.[19][20] The Abrahamic religions traditionally consider suicide as an offense towards
God, due to the belief in the sanctity of life.[21] During the samurai era in Japan, a form of suicide
known as seppuku (harakiri) was respected as a means of making up for failure or as a form of
protest.[22] Sati, a practice outlawed by the British Raj, expected the Indian widow to kill herself on her
husband's funeral fire, either willingly or under pressure from her family and society.[23] Suicide and
attempted suicide, while previously illegal, are no longer so in most Western countries.[24] It remains a
criminal offense in many countries.[25] In the 20th and 21st centuries, suicide has been used on rare
occasions as a form of protest, and kamikaze and suicide bombings have been used as a military or
terrorist tactic.[26]