Suicide and Substance Abuse: Know the Risks

An estimated 90 people per day and 32,000 people per year die from suicide attempts with many more individuals attempting suicide and failing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even failed suicide attempts can produce extensive physical damage and deep emotional pain that may take a lifetime to recover from. On November 7^th, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced that its suicide prevention hotline, which was established in 2005, had answered its millionth call. Clearly, suicide should be a major public health concern.>

Research indicates that the two most significant risk factors for suicide are substance abuse and other mental health disorders. While the majority (95%) of individuals with substance abuse and/or mental health disorders will not attempt suicide, evidence suggests that in up to 90% of successful suicide cases, the person either abused substances or had a mental health problem – or both.

Who is at risk for suicide?

Numerous factors are considered when determining a person’s risk for attempting – and being successful with – suicide. Whereas women are three times more likely to attempt suicide than men, men are four times more likely to die as a result of the attempt than are women. One possible reason for this difference is that men and women usually choose different methods of suicide, with firearms, suffocation, and poisoning (in no particular order) being the top three means in general.

Age is another factor. Both young (15- to 24-year-olds) and old (65+) age groups also seem to be more vulnerable than others. For example, for every successful suicide in the 15- to 24-year-old group, there are 100-200 unsuccessful attempts. For every 100,000 seniors over age 65, 14.3 die as a result of suicide. Furthermore, the American College Health Association reported that 1 in 10 college students claimed to have “seriously considered suicide” in the past year.

As mentioned before, mental health can also play a role: the majority of suicides are associated with depression. Other mental illnesses, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (which war veterans and others may suffer from), may also be linked to increased risk for suicide. Additionally, as many as 25% of suicides are related to substance abuse problems.

What is the relationship between substance abuse and suicide?

According to SAMHSA, of the 132,500 people who went to the ER for substance-related suicide attempts in 2005, 85% were admitted to a hospital or healthcare facility. Of those who were tested for the presence of substances, 1/3 (33%) tested positive for alcohol use and 1/5 (20%) were associated with illicit drug use. In youth, nearly half of suicide attempts were linked to pain medication. These facts do not necessarily mean that the individuals had long-term substance abuse problems, just that substances were present at the time they went to the hospital. Still, the numbers are important.

The number of studies on the relationship between specific drugs and suicide risk are few and the topic is underdeveloped; researchers do, however, seem to think there is a link between the number of substances in a person’s system and suicide risk. In contrast, the relationship between suicide risk and alcohol use has received increased scholarly attention in recent years. In general, alcohol is known to decrease inhibitions; however, when combined with thoughts of suicide, the resulting uninhibited propensity for risk-taking can have devastating results. Furthermore, alcohol use may impair a user’s problem-solving abilities, heighten feelings of hopelessness and depression, and increase aggression. Although this information is helpful, further research is necessary to truly understand the relationship between alcohol abuse and suicide risk.

What should I do if I am suicidal or suspect that someone else is?

Seek help immediately. Hospitals and emergency rooms treat people who have suicidal ideations, and numerous free hotlines are available from local and national agencies, including the SAMHSA. Ask for help from friends, family members, doctors, Church groups, or even police officers. For questions specifically related to substance abuse and addiction, we encourage you to call eDrug Rehab to discuss your situation; our specialists can help you or a loved one start on the path to recovery. However, if you are in an immediate crisis situation, you should go to your nearest medical facility.

Concluding thoughts

Despite the enormous toll suicide takes on families and society as a whole, research into its causes and awareness of its place in national public health policy have only moved to the foreground in the past decade. While the recent passing of the Mental Health Parity Act (read more about the Mental Health Parity Act) is a step in the right direction, as a nation, we still have much work to do toward reducing the social stigma associated with suicide, mental health, and substance abuse, and increasing our knowledge of risk factors, treatments, and successful preventative measures.