Suicide Pact: Causes, Motivations, Effects
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Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD
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This article may be triggering to some readers. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.
A suicide pact is an agreement between two or more individuals to die by suicide together.
Such pacts may be planned in detail, with each person knowing what role they will play and how the suicide will be carried out.
Those involved in a suicide pact typically have a shared desire to die and see death as a way to escape from some type of pain or problem in their lives that is perceived as unbearable or hopeless. Oftentimes, people who enter into suicide pacts have suicidal ideation prior to making the pact. This means that they have been thinking about harming themselves before entering into an agreement with others.
This article will cover a brief history of suicide pacts, why they occur, and the aftereffects.
History of Suicide Pacts
The history of suicide pacts is relatively short, as the phenomenon is not particularly common. However, there have been a number of notable cases that have made headlines over the years.
Couple's Suicide Pacts
In 2010, a couple from Wiltshire, England jumped to their deaths from the cliffs at Beachy Head after making a pact to do so.
In 2020, an elderly couple in India died by suicide as part of a pact after experiencing physical illness and strain due to COVID-19.
A case study was published in 2022 that discussed the suicide attempt of a couple dealing the financial struggles as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This case study noted that suicidality increased as a result of the pandemic because it led to financial stress for many along with fears of infection or not being able to return home to family members who are living in another country.
Warning Signs of a Suicide Pact
There are a few warning signs that may indicate that someone is considering entering into a suicide pact.
These include talking about wanting to die or hurt oneself, expressing feelings of hopelessness, giving away prized possessions, and making final arrangements (such as putting affairs in order or writing a will).
Types of Suicide Pacts
There are two types of suicide pacts that have been reported: suicide pacts where both parties die by self-harm or where assisted suicide is involved).
Suicide pact where all parties die from self-harm: The parties involved may use a weapon to carry out the suicide or they may use a passive method such as self-poisoning.
Suicide pacts that involve an assisted suicide: In this method, person A will assist in the suicide of the other party, person B. After receiving consent from person B, person A will then kill person B. Then person A will die by suicide via self-harm.
Related: Why Do People Commit Suicide?
Why Do People Enter Into Suicide Pacts?
People often enter into suicide pacts as a way to escape from some type of pain or problem in their lives that seems intolerable including:
Depression
Relationship problems
Financial difficulties
Eviction
A crisis that occurs within two weeks of carrying out the suicide pact
Physical health issues
Job loss
Trouble with the legal system
It is also worth noting that suicide pacts are often seen as a way to die together with someone else. In some cases, people may enter into such pacts because they cannot bear the thought of living without the other person.
For instance, the couple from the case study discussed earlier, it was noted that one party expressed no desire to live without their partner.
Who Is Most Likely to Be Involved in a Suicide Pact?
Within a couple involving a male and a female, the male (who is often the dominant partner) is more likely to take the life of their partner and then die by self-harm. The male in this scenario is more likely to have an undiagnosed mental health condition such as borderline personality disorder or narcissistic personality disorder.
The submissive partner (typically the woman in a heterosexual relationship), will show more dependent traits.
Additionally, women are more likely than men to die by suicide involved in a passive method such as self-poisoning with carbon monoxide.
Impact of Suicide Pacts
Suicide pacts can have a profound impact on those who are left behind. In addition to the obvious emotional pain of losing a loved one, survivors may also feel guilty, responsible, or confused.
It is important for those who are impacted by suicide pacts to seek professional help in order to deal with their feelings and begin the healing process.
Grief for loved ones following a suicide pact can be heightened because of the loss of two or more people at the same time.
How to Prevent Suicide Pacts
There are a few steps that can be taken in order to prevent suicide pacts:
Support for those dealing with physical ailments: Considering one of the causes of suicidality can be health problems, it's important for healthcare professionals to refer patients to mental health professionals to help them cope with living with a physical ailment.
Stricter gun control: Limiting access to firearms can help prevent suicidality.
Routine mental health screening: Approximately, 1 in 5 U.S. adults have been diagnosed with depression in their lifetime according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since depression is a significant risk factor for suicide, if regular mental health check-ups are implemented, health professionals may be able to catch suicide warning signs early on.
Read Next: How Suicidal Feelings Manifest in Young Men—Including Myself
