Joking about suicide is a red flag. As in an indication that something might be wrong. It can indicate that suicide is something that’s on their mind often.

I would avoid these jokes in a professional setting because loosing someone to suicide is common and you’re likely to crack a joke in front of someone who will not appreciate it.

death no, suicide maybe

It can be. It depends on context and tone.

If they say that shit with a tone of defeat, I’d address it head on. If it’s typical banter like this sucks kind of tone then whatever.

People say a lot of concerning shit if you take everything that they say literally. Fact is that a lot of us use sarcasm and hyperbole as coping mechanisms.

Today, I joked with a buddy at work that the day made me want to hang myself from my shoelaces. I have zero suicidal ideation right now, I’m just unhappy that I have to put up with the people I have to work with right now. He’s much the same, sick of the shit, so he gets me.

It really depends on the tone and context more than anything.

Whatever you do, please avoid calling the authorities on them. Its gonna do more harm than good.

Especially if they are a non-citizen, they could face deportation proceedings for having mental health issues.

Particularly in the US, but may also apply in other countries depending on how xenophobic the country is and how much of a bastard the cops are in the jurisdiction.

I wouldn’t assume anything with only this information. Jokes about death and suicide aren’t uncommon and we don’t know how they mean it. However it doesn’t hurt to ask them and give them the opportunity to share their pain and sad songs with you.

It’s not simple. The only real way I have to know if it’s a problem is to react based on whether the jokes are funny or not.

Example: When my life is being literally ruined, I don’t joke about suicide, I joke about how much fun I’m having. When I get a loose eyelash stuck under my eyelid though it’s right to “Jesus fuck just kill me please”.

No. I do it all the time and it’s just over exaggerating that I’m exhausted or frustrated.

Dark humor is a coping mechanism. It’s a positive thing, I believe. As for what she is coping with - who knows?

Maybe she is struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts. Maybe it’s an awareness of the meaninglessness of life. Maybe she has had to adapt to working or living in close contact with mortality: exposure to war, working in healthcare, etc…

I think the most important part is that she is coping.

In the absence of other signs that she might be in danger or is acting out of character, I would not be concerned.

The last known photo of Chester Bennington is him smiling and surrounded by his family.

Your coworker needs help.

I used to joke about killing myself all the time.

For a lot of my life I really did want to kill myself.

Now, I still joke all the time about killing myself.

… I have no sincere intention of ever killing myself, and haven’t for almost 10 years now.

Point here is, there’s all kinds of people. If you’re worried enough to ask strangers on the internet, just talk to the motherfucker and find out.

Whether it’s all dark humor or a legit cry for help, most people respond positively to genuine sentiments of care, even from coworkers.

I’ll throw out a “fucking kill me” or an “I’d rather be dead” now and again, but I’ve never contemplated suicide. Context is key. I won’t say something like that around a truly bad situation, but if I get a paper cut, I may suggest that taking my life is a better situation. I don’t do it often and it’s only around people that know me well enough to know that I have a dark sense of humor and that I’m not serious.

She is either suicidal or very weird. I’d ask her if suicide is actually something she sometimes think about.
Problem is she will most likely brush it off if she is, so it’s a tough one.
It might be worth a lot to tell her you appreciate her.