Nature Mental Health, Published online: 22 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s44220-026-00685-7
Suicide prevention research has largely focused on reducing despair and risk factors. Yet theory, evidence and clinical encounters show that suicidal people are driven not only by a will to die, but also by a will to live. This Comment urges greater attention to future life-focused psychological processes that support daily efforts to stay alive.