Scientific interest in suicidal acts (attempted and completed suicides) spans a wide range of disciplines from epidemiology, through economics, psychology, and unquestionably – sociology. Though theoretically well-informed, one of the leading challenges in the study of suicidal acts has unquestionably been methodological, namely, the availability of high-quality, individual-level data. The goal of this project is two-fold: first, to present a clear descriptive analysis of the age, period, and cohort trends in suicidal acts (successful and attempted suicides) for Dutch men and women. This is an essential step for two reasons: 1) it allows to better understand the magnitude of the potential societal problem and 2) it facilitates the subsequent theorizing about the possible causes of changes in patterns of suicidal behaviours for specific groups of individuals. Second, I will focus on socioeconomic and family-related drivers of suicidal behaviours of Dutch men and women. When studying potential socioeconomic differentials in suicidal behaviours, one of the key questions will be whether an individual’s own resources act as a protective factor against suicidal acts or whether it is that individual’s position, relative-to-others, that matters. In the study of the importance of uninterrupted family ties, specific attention will be paid to the potential weakening over time of the buffering role which partnerships might play against suicidal acts.