SUICIDE AND MENTAL ILLNESS

Studies have shown that over 90% of people who die from suicide have one or more psychiatric disorders at the time of their death. Luckily, there are ways to treat and control these disorders and potentially prevent suicide.

Comorbidity (having more than one illness at the same time) and how severe the disorders are can increase someone's risk for suicide. Catching the warning signs early and seeing a doctor or other health care provider for a diagnosis and treatment plan could make it less likely that your friend would commit suicide.

Depression and Bipolar Disorder

Studies have consistently shown that having depression or bipolar disorder (mood disorders) increases your risk for suicide significantly. In fact, it's estimated that people with mood disorders are 12 to 20 times more likely to die by suicide than people without a mood disorder.

Mood disorders, especially in the depressive phase, are the most commonly diagnosed mental illness in suicide deaths. People with bipolar disorder have the highest risk, especially when they are in mixed episodes (simultaneous presence of ups and downs).

Suicides associated with major depressive disorder tend to occur early in the course of the illness, especially in younger people. Depressive and bipolar disorders both tend to be highly comorbid with other disorders, such as anxiety, panic attacks, alcohol use, substance use and insomnia, and each of these is considered to be a risk factor for suicidal behaviors.

Attend a National Depression Screening Day event in your area to learn more about depression and suicide. Click here to find an event in your area.

Alcohol/Substance Use Disorders

Evidence suggests that 25% of people who die by suicide abuse alcohol or are dependent on alcohol, and that 50% have alcohol in their blood at the time of their death.

There is a greater likelihood for suicide to occur among people who abuse alcohol and suffer from depressive disorders than among people with major depression or alcoholism alone.

Unlike other mental illnesses, people who abuse alcohol and ultimately take their own lives, tend to die by suicide late in the disease.

Abusing illicit drugs is common among adolescents and young adults who die by suicide. It has been suggested that the spread of substance abuse may have added to the two to fourfold increase in youth suicide since 1970. Some studies have shown that it is the number of substances abused (not the quantity of a single substance) that may be important in determining suicide risk.

Learn more about alcohol and substance abuse, and available treatments.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a disease of disturbed thoughts, feelings, perceptions, and behaviors. It primarily affects younger people and often involves delusions and hallucinations, both visual and auditory, that are often paranoid in nature.

There is a 4% lifetime risk of suicide in people with schizophrenia. Suicide may be more likely to occur during the earlier years of schizophrenia, with even higher risk right after a hospital discharge. The risk continues throughout life, and seems to be higher in schizophrenics with a chronic illness, multiple psychiatric hospitalizations, or a previous suicide attempt. Studies have shown that 40%-53% of people with schizophrenia have had suicidal ideation at some point in their lives, and 23%-55% reported previous suicide attempts.

Suicide may be more likely to occur when the person is in a period of improvement after a relapse, or during periods of depressed mood.

Schizophrenia occurs in 1% of the population. Learn more about the signs, symptoms and available treatments for schizophrenia.

Personality Disorders

Personality disorders include a wide range of disorders that respond to a variety of treatments.

Studies have shown that 1/3 of people who die by suicide have a personality disorder. Keep in mind that people with personality disorders may be at increased risk for suicide because of other common factors, including unemployment, financial difficulty, family discord, and other interpersonal conflicts or loss. Also, comorbid diagnoses, often depressive symptoms or substance use disorders, are frequent in people with personality disorders, and thus increase the risk for suicide even more.

About 40% of people who attempt suicide have a personality disorder, and 40%-90% of people with a personality disorder attempt suicide at some point in their lives.

Eating Disorders:

Eating disorders, especially anorexia nervosa, increase a person's risk for suicide. Studies have shown that women with anorexia are more likely to have suicidal thoughts than those with bulimia or other disorders. Also, many people with a history of suicide attempts may have increased rates of abnormal eating behaviors. The combination of youth, disturbed eating behaviors, and possible comorbid mental illnesses make people with eating disorders highly susceptible to the risk of suicidal behaviors.

Learn more about eating disorders and available treatments.

Anxiety Disorders:

People with an anxiety disorder are 6 to 10 times more likely than the general population to commit suicide. One study showed that 11% of people who die by suicide had an anxiety disorder; however, it's possible that this estimate is too low because of some factors that might mask anxiety, like alcohol use or other disorders.

Learn more about anxiety disorders.