MOST PEOPLE WHO are seriously thinking about suicide show certain typical warning signs. Sometimes, people who are suicidal try to hide their true feelings from themselves and others, covering up and doing their best to act normal. It may seem to survivors, therefore, that suicide happens unexpectedly.

Experts say, however, that in almost every case of suicide there were clues that the survivors overlooked (or saw but did not acknowledge). Therapists who deal with suicide feel that many needless deaths can be avoided by learning better how to recognize and deal with these warning signs. The ability to recognize these signs and act on them could mean the difference between life and death.

Suicidologists and other experts have developed many methods of spotting suicidal behavior and minimizing the chances of completing a suicide. These diverse methods include research studies, education on suicide prevention, safety...