Why do people commit suicide?

People who commit suicide are having intense feelings of helplessness and hopelessness and don't see a way out. Revenge may also be a motive.

Is it true that people attempt suicide as a cry for help?

The suicide attempt is often a conscious or unconscious method for
getting others to recognize just how badly the individual is feeling.

If someone in the family has committed suicide, are others in the family tempted to commit suicide when they have problems?

If someone in the family has committed suicide other family members may be tempted because that behavior has been modeled for them. 

Do people ever attempt suicide in order to get attention desperately
needed by them?

Anyone who attempts suicide in order to get attention desperately
needs attention. It is tragic when young people feel they need to
bargain with their lives in order to have their problems taken seriously.

Is it true that people who attempt to kill themselves really don't want to die?

Most people who attempt suicide are ambivalent about whether to
live or die right up to the moment of death. They want to live and
die at the same time.

Will a person who is deeply depressed become suicidal?

While it is true that suicidal feelings often develop in a person who
is depressed, the fact that one is depressed does not mean that
person will become suicidal.

Does anyone ever impulsively attempt suicide and then become sorry for making  such an attempt?

A person at a particular moment may find the emotional pain ex-
perience absolutely intolerable. In that short period a suicide attempt might impulsively be made which in retrospect might be regretted.

Does taking drugs or alcohol increase one's chances of becoming suicidal?

Taking drugs and alcohol in excess can exaggerate painful feelings
to a point where feelings are intolerable. In that state a person may
attempt suicide who in other circumstances may not go that far.

How does talking about suicide help prevent it?

Talking about suicide diffuses some of the intensity of these feelings.
It helps the person get connected to the help that is needed. It
creates a climate of caring and it helps to break through the loneliness the person is experiencing.

                 From The Support Network (Edmonton, Alberta)