The death of Australian Defence Force (ADF) members by suicide is deeply felt across the Defence community. Thoughts are with the families, friends, teammates and colleagues of those who have died by suicide.

Suicide, suicide attempts and self-harm behaviours are serious, complex and confronting issues.

Preventing suicide requires a comprehensive, co-ordinated approach to addressing the many factors that contribute to people dying by suicide. Defence is committed to doing better for Defence ADF members and their families.

Defence uses data to shape and further inform Defence suicide prevention efforts and programs. It enables Defence to drive significant reform across the organisation.

Addressing these complex issues will require strong leadership at every level.

Reasons

There are many reasons why people may consider suicide. This is often triggered by a combination of significant life changes or loss, including:

• loss and grief (including the suicide of someone close to you)
• being abused or bullied (sexual, physical, and/or emotional)
• worries about legal or disciplinary problems
• significant relationship and family stresses (including break-up)
• financial insecurity
• feeling like no one cares or understands.

You may feel like your ability to cope with the situations and experiences you are facing is being overwhelmed. You may find that you can't sleep, eat, or participate in activities you used to enjoy. Using alcohol or other drugs can contribute to an increase in your feelings of hopelessness and lead to impulsive actions.

While this is a painful experience, it is important to know that it is temporary and that you can get past it.

Suicide fact sheet (PDF, 729.04 KB)

Support

Defence acknowledges that suicide is preventable. Therefore, Defence train personnel at all organisational levels to identify when a peer requires support and to provide a compassionate response. A comprehensive support system ensures ADF personnel have access to the right support at the right time, especially those who are vulnerable or at risk.

Defence provides ADF personnel mental health services through on-base clinicians, referral to off-base psychologists and psychiatrists, and also through telehealth.

On-base services include general practitioners, psychologists and other mental health practitioners. ADF personnel can attend these services and ask for help or support. They will be assessed and connected with the care they need.

Your chain of command is a primary resource that can provide advice, referral and support. Other than in an emergency, you can also contact your local Chaplain or the Duty Officer/Officer of the Day for immediate assistance and referrals.

In an emergency situation, contact 000.

A list of 24/7 telephone counselling and support services can be found on the Helplines page.

Suicide in service

From the findings of the 2010 ADF Mental Health Prevalence and Well-being Study, it is estimated that up to 4% of ADF members may experience some form of suicidality within a 12 month period, which includes thinking about, planning or attempting suicide. In 2010, 1.1% of ADF members reported having made a suicide plan and 0.4% had attempted suicide within the 12 months prior to surveying. Although women are more likely to have thoughts about attempting suicide, there is no difference between ADF men and women in the number of plans and attempts.

Risk factors for suicide thoughts and plans include having a mood or anxiety disorder, and/or prior trauma exposure, particularly interpersonal violence. The risk of suicide is no different for those who have and have not deployed.

2025 report

The 8th annual report of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), Serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force members: suicide monitoring 1997 to 2023 (the 2025 report), was publicly released on 9 September 2025.

The 2025 report’s findings, together with the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide's final report, will help Defence and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs better target support efforts. 

The key findings of the 2025 Report include:

• Between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 2023, there were 1,840 certified deaths by suicide among current and ex-serving ADF personnel who had completed at least one day of service between 1 January 1985 and 31 December 2023.
• Over the same period, there were 72,294 suicides among the Australian population as a whole.
• In 2023, there were 73 deaths by suicide among permanent, reserve and ex-serving ADF personnel, including:
  • 7 deaths by suicide among permanent and reserve ADF personnel
  • 66 deaths by suicide among ex-serving ADF personnel.
• Suicide rates for full-time and part-time serving males are approximately half that of Australian males in the wider community.
• Ex-serving males who separate from the ADF voluntarily or for administrative reasons have a similar suicide rate to age-matched Australian males.
• Ex-serving males who transition out of the ADF involuntarily for medical or other reasons have an increased risk of suicide compared to age-matched Australian males.
• There was no difference between the rate of suicide for full-time and part-time ADF females compared to age-matched Australian females.*
• The rate of suicide for ex-serving females is twice as high as the rate reported by age-matched Australian females.*

^{*The 2025 Report notes that due to the small number of suicide deaths among permanent and reserve females, suicide rates over time are not reported for these groups.}

Rates of suicide

The 2025 report gave rates of suicide per 100,000 population per year between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 2023. These rates include members with at least one day of service between 1 January 1985 and 31 December 2023.

^{*These suicide rates should be interpreted with caution as the number of suicides is fewer than 20.}

The 2025 report gave rates of suicide per 100,000 population per year between 1 January 2003 and 31 December 2023. These rates include personnel with at least one day of service between 1 January 1985 and 31 December 2023 who left the ADF from 1 January 2003 onwards.

^{*These suicide rates should be interpreted with caution as the number of suicides is fewer than 20.}