There is empirical evidence of several psychological
and personality factors which increase risk of
suicidal ideation and behaviour. These include:
social perfectionism (the perception that one
must always meet the expectations of others,
with these perceived standards often being
unrealistic);
self-criticism (excessive negative self-appraisal
and an inability to enjoy one’s own successes);
rumination (frequently recurring, persistent
self-focused thoughts – in particular brooding
rumination: comparison of one’s current
situation with some unachieved standard,
without doing anything to pursue the outcome
one desires);
reduced social problem-solving ability;
an inability to generate positive future thoughts
(it is lack of belief that the future includes
positive events, rather being overwhelmed by
negative expectations of the future, which is
significant for suicidality);
lack of goal re-engagement (failure to re-engage
in new goals when likelihood of achieving
existing goals is remote);
feeling defeated and trapped;
thwarted belongingness (feelings of social
disconnection and isolation);
perceived burdensomeness (the belief that one
is so incapable that one is a liability or hindrance
to others);
impulsivity, pain sensitivity (threshold and
tolerance for physical and emotional pain) and
acquired capability for suicidal behaviour (ability
to act upon suicidal desires or to enact lethal
self-injury, and increases via exposure and
habituation to self-injury).