Suicide attempts are often a response to a significant period of despair and distress.
They can be triggered by a multitude of issues, including mental health issues, trauma or stressful life events.
The person you care about and others who have attempted suicide may have similar or totally different experiences.
Mental health issues are not a prerequisite for a suicide attempt. One-quarter of the people we spoke to said the person they were supporting had no history of diagnosed mental illness, meaning they were not necessarily connected to support services at the time of their attempt.