Parts on Fire: Recognising Anger as a Suicide Risk Factor

Anger is often misunderstood in the context of suicide. While sadness and hopelessness are widely recognised warning signs, it is internalised anger—particularly when suppressed or turned inward—that can quietly escalate risk. Studies have shown that individuals who routinely inhibit or ruminate on anger are significantly more likely to experience suicidal thoughts and behaviours. When a person is unable to direct anger toward its rightful source, it may be redirected toward the self. In these cases, the part carrying the rage may view death not as a desire to die, but as a desperate attempt to end intolerable emotional chaos.