A wide range of risk-taking behaviours may be associated with serious damage to the self although not consciously related to a wish for self-destruction: car driving and chronic alcoholism are two examples. Here, however, suicidal behaviour will be taken to refer only to that motivated by a conscious and deliberate aim to destroy the self. There is much evidence that prevention of suicide is a feasible proposition. The majority of suicides make contact with helping agencies in the few weeks prior to their death, they declare their intentions in a variety of ways and they tend to be recognizably unwell. It is just not true that most suicides decide to end their lives without declaring their intention to others. It is therefore important to acquire skills in recognizing and reaching out to those at risk in such a way that hope is rekindled and help accepted.