If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day. Help is free and confidential.
Pets, favorite music, a TV show worth waiting for, and the hope that tomorrow might feel better helped thousands of people get through periods when they wanted to die, according to research led by the University of Maryland. The team analyzed 16,648 responses from people who described themselves as formerly suicidal, CBS News reported this week.
The findings, published in July in the journal Scientific Reports, suggest that reasons to keep living are often small, personal, and easy for clinicians and families to overlook. For parents, partners, and friends worried about someone, the study points to a simple, hopeful practice: asking about and paying attention to the things a person still looks forward to.
The work was led by Philip Resnik, a computational linguist at the University of Maryland's Department of Linguistics and Institute for Advanced Computer Studies. "I realized that not only was this a really remarkable set of people's stories, but it was potentially an important source of data that we might be able to analyze and help people," Resnik told CBS News. His co-authors include psychologist Rebecca Resnik and Loyola University Chicago social work professor Jonathan Singer.
Four Themes From 16,648 Stories
The research began with a public Reddit post in September 2020 asking formerly suicidal people what kept them alive and helped them through dark times. Thousands responded, and Resnik's team used a computer-assisted method, paired with review by mental health experts, to sort the answers into categories and broader themes.
Concern for others was the first theme. Many people said they did not want to hurt family members, friends, or children, and some described not wanting to leave behind a beloved pet.
The second theme was sensory pleasures and distractions, such as music, food, video games, and TV series people wanted to finish. The third was positive foresight, including the recognition that things might look different in the morning and hope found in religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs. The fourth involved negative emotions, such as fear or anger, that people said held them back.
Rebecca Resnik, a psychologist and former president of the Maryland Psychological Association, told CBS News the findings have shaped how she approaches risk assessments, including paying close attention to a person's bond with a pet or an upcoming event they are looking forward to.
Strengths and Limits of the Reddit Sample
The study's size is unusual. The authors note that most suicide research focuses on the path toward a crisis, while fewer studies ask why people survived. Widely used reasons-for-living questionnaires were developed decades ago and were not built around lived experience at this scale.
The design has important limits. The responses came from a single, self-selected online thread, so the sample reflects people who use Reddit and chose to answer. Because posts were anonymous, details such as age, race, income, and diagnoses are largely unknown, according to earlier reporting on the project by the University of Maryland.
The study describes what people said helped them. It does not prove that any single factor prevents suicide. Not every reason people listed was healthy, and some responses mentioned illicit drug use, according to a University of Maryland summary. That is one reason professional support still matters. The findings have not changed clinical guidelines.
Small Anchors and Crisis Support for Families
Anyone can experience thoughts of suicide. Warning signs can include talking about wanting to die or feeling like a burden, withdrawing from people and activities, giving away belongings, or sudden changes in mood or sleep. Asking someone directly whether they are thinking about suicide does not put the idea in their head, and it can open the door to help.
The study's themes translate into everyday steps. Families can help a person name the people, pets, plans, and small pleasures that matter to them, and write those down as part of a safety plan made with a clinician. Even a small reason to get through the next hour can matter.
Support is available right now. Anyone can call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org, and veterans can press 1 after dialing 988 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line. The Lifeline also offers help in Spanish and guidance for people worried about someone else. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
The researchers say more work is needed to see how these themes apply across ages, cultures, and settings. For people struggling today, the message from thousands of survivors is that reaching out for help is a strong first step.
Key Questions Answered
What did the University of Maryland-led study find? Analyzing 16,648 responses from formerly suicidal people, researchers identified four themes: concern for others, sensory pleasures and distractions, positive foresight, and negative emotions such as fear.
Where did the data come from? A public Reddit thread from September 2020 asking formerly suicidal people what helped them survive.
Does the study prove what prevents suicide? No. It describes what people reported helped them, and the anonymous, self-selected sample has limits.
How can I help someone who may be at risk? Ask directly, listen without judgment, help them identify things they look forward to, and connect them with professional help or 988.
How do I reach the 988 Lifeline? Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. Veterans can press 1 after dialing 988.
When should someone call 911? If a person is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Published by Medicaldaily.com
