Do mental health based attempts at suicide cause a higher mortality rate than ones driven by chronic illness? It depends, but there are conditions that cause more survived attempts and others that cause higher mortality.
A 2025 JAMA Psychiatry study, “Shared and Distinct Risk Factors for Suicide Attempt and Suicide,” reveals the unique role of psychiatric suicide risk conditions in driving fatal outcomes from suicide attempts compared to physical health conditions. Mental illness and mental health condition are key contributors to suicide risk, and understanding their impact is crucial for prevention. The relationship between mental health conditions and suicide is complex, with various disorders such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders increasing the risk. Analyzing data from over 546,000 people for health conditions and 108,000 for genetic factors, the study compared 28 conditions and 35 genetic risk scores. The study found that people with psychiatric disorders face an increased risk of dying by suicide, making suicide a leading cause of death among those with mental health conditions.
Suicides account for a significant number of deaths worldwide, highlighting the importance of public health strategies to address this issue on a global scale. Most people with mental illness do not die by suicide, but recognizing symptoms early can help prevent tragic outcomes. The study examined suicidal behaviors, including attempts and self-injury, to better understand the progression from ideation to dying by suicide. Past mental health conditions and a previous suicide attempt are important predictors of future risk. Alcohol and substance use are also significant contributors to suicide risk. Young people, especially adolescents, are particularly vulnerable, and early intervention in school settings is essential. Community involvement, access to resources, and confidential support services are vital for prevention and recovery. Comprehensive prevention plans, led by coordinated efforts, are needed to effectively reduce suicide rates.
To make the findings more accessible we’ve broken them down with tables and bullet points, and the study outline can help develop strategies to reduce psychiatric suicide risk factors and distinguish them from those that may cause suicide from physical illness. Understanding this difference is key for appropriate treatment of patients to ensure patient safety beyond basic measures like questioning suicidal intent or creating safety plans; rather it allows medical providers and others to understand what patterns were found in the study. Hope remains a central element in recovery, and every life lost to suicide is a profound tragedy.
How Mental and Physical Health Conditions Impact Suicide Risk
Clinical Impact on Suicide and Suicide Attempts
| Aspect | Mental Health Conditions | Physical Health Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Impact on Suicide | Strongly tied to suicide; e.g., depression and substance abuse significantly raise psychiatric suicide risk. | Linked to suicide, but less strongly; e.g., cancer and epilepsy increase risk. |
| Conditions More Tied to Suicide | Autism, anorexia nervosa, and obsessive-compulsive disorder increase mortality risk more than number attempts. | Severe conditions like cancer are more tied to suicide than attempts. |
| Conditions More Tied to Attempts | Most mental conditions, especially substance abuse, drive suicide attempts. | Chronic conditions like high cholesterol or hearing loss are more tied to attempts. |
| Repeated Attempts | Strong link to repeated attempts; psychiatric suicide risk grows with more attempts (e.g., depression). | Chronic conditions increase repeated attempts; less so for severe conditions. |
Key Points:
- Mental Health Conditions:
- Conditions like depression, substance abuse, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism, anorexia nervosa, and obsessive-compulsive disorder significantly elevate psychiatric suicide risk.
- Autism, anorexia nervosa, and obsessive-compulsive disorder are more linked to suicide than attempts, indicating a higher concern due to severe or fatal attempts.
- All mental health conditions studied strongly drive suicide attempts, with substance abuse posing the highest risk.
- Physical Health Conditions:
- Severe illnesses like cancer increase suicide risk, likely due to hopelessness or fear of death.
- Chronic conditions, such as high cholesterol or hearing loss, are more linked to suicide attempts, reflecting ongoing health stress.
- Most physical conditions (except gout, intestinal issues, and vision problems) raise suicide risk, but their impact is weaker than those caused by mental health conditions.
Genetic Risk Factors for Suicide and Suicide Attempts
| Aspect | Mental Health Genetic Risks | Physical Health Genetic Risks |
|---|---|---|
| Link to Suicide | Strongly tied to genetic mental health conditions e.g., bipolar disorder and schizophrenia increase risk. | Weakly linked; only colorectal cancer showed a slight connection to suicide. |
| Link to Attempts | Linked to depression, ADHD, and other mental health risks.. | Linked to pain, obesity, and high blood pressure, driving attempts. |
| Unique Risks | Depression, anxiety, and PTSD risks are shared for suicide and attempts; bipolar and schizophrenia heighten mortality. | Risks for hearing loss, high blood pressure, and joint pain are tied only to attempts. |
| Repeated Attempts | Higher mental health genetic risk increases repeated attempts, escalating psychiatric suicide risk. | Higher physical health genetic risk increases repeated attempts. |
Key Points:
- Mental Health Genetic Risks:
- Genetic predispositions for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia strongly contribute to psychiatric suicide risk, increasing the likelihood of fatal outcomes.
- Genetic risks for depression, anxiety, and PTSD drive both suicide and attempts.
- Higher genetic risk for mental health conditions leads to more frequent suicide attempts.
- Physical Health Genetic Risks:
- Genetic risks for conditions like pain or obesity are more tied to suicide attempts than suicide.
- Only colorectal cancer showed a weak link to suicide, suggesting physical conditions have less genetic influence on fatal outcomes.
- Higher genetic risk for physical conditions correlates with more frequent attempts.
Gender Differences in Suicide Risk
| Aspect | Mental Health Conditions | Physical Health Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Women | Several conditions (e.g., depression, autism) heighten psychiatric suicide risk. | Similar to overall findings; cancer strongly linked to suicide. |
| Men | Fewer conditions show stronger risk for suicide; differences less clear. | Chronic conditions drive attempts; severe conditions increase suicide risk. |
Key Points:
- Mental Health Conditions: Women with mental health conditions face a higher suicide mortality compared to attempts, suggesting more severe outcomes.
- Physical Health Conditions: Patterns are similar for both genders, with chronic conditions driving attempts and severe conditions like cancer increasing suicide risk.
Why Understanding Psychiatric Suicide Risk Matters
The study shows that conditions that present a psychiatric suicide risk are a dominant driver of suicide, with stronger clinical and genetic links than physical conditions. Suicide prevention is a critical public health issue that requires coordinated, multisectoral action. Severe physical illnesses like cancer also increase suicide risk, while chronic conditions drive repeated suicide attempts. The nation’s suicide rate increased 33% across all sexes, races, and ethnicities over the past two decades. The loss of life due to suicide underscores the urgent need for effective interventions. These distinctions highlight the need for targeted prevention:
- Mental Health Demands Focus: The high risk from conditions like depression and bipolar disorder calls for robust mental health care. Community involvement and accessible resources are essential to support individuals at risk and to implement effective prevention activities.
- Physical Conditions Need Broader Screening: Severe illnesses require suicide risk screening in medical settings, while chronic conditions need management to prevent attempts. FasPsych offers on demand services in an emergency environment and can assist with long term medication management. Confidential support is available 24/7 for those in crisis, ensuring privacy and immediate help.
- Genetic Insights Inform Prevention: Genetic risks for mental health conditions can identify those with high psychiatric suicide risk, while physical risks guide attempt prevention. Research in this area is often supported by grants from organizations and government agencies, and disclosures of interest are important for transparency.
- Gender-Specific Strategies: Women with mental health conditions need intensified efforts to reduce mortality risk. Comprehensive prevention strategies should include a national or community plan that incorporates evidence-based interventions and government leadership. Promoting hope and resilience is vital in recovery and prevention efforts. The reduction of suicide rates is recognized as an indicator in the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Strategies to Reduce Suicide from Psychiatric Conditions
To lower risk of suicide attempts and mortality, the following strategies are critical:
- Enhance Screening and Access to Care:
- Screen for conditions like depression and schizophrenia in primary care, schools, and workplaces to catch psychiatric suicide risk early. Universal screening of all patients, regardless of presenting issues, is an evidence-based approach to identify those at risk for suicidal behavior and connect them to appropriate care.
- Expand access to mental health services, like teletherapy, to reach those avoiding in-person care, especially men. FasPsych has experience working with populations that would typically avoid treatment.
- Prioritize high-risk groups (e.g., autism, anorexia nervosa) for specialized interventions. Monitoring for self harm is also essential, as it is a significant risk factor for suicide.
- Offer Tailored Treatments:
- Provide therapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) for suicidal thoughts.
- Ensure quick access to medications (e.g., antidepressants) for depression or bipolar disorder, with monitoring for suicidal thoughts.
- Address symptoms like impulsivity that amplify psychiatric suicide risk across conditions.
- Leverage Genetic Research:
- Use genetic risk scores to identify individuals for early intervention.
- Study genetic contributions to psychiatric suicide risk to develop personalized prevention plans.
- Strengthen Crisis Support:
- Create rapid-response crisis teams for those with acute suicidal thoughts.
- Implement follow-up programs after suicide attempts to prevent repeats, common in mental health conditions.
- Confidential support is available 24/7 through services like the 988 Lifeline, ensuring privacy and accessibility for those in distress.
- Raise Awareness and Reduce Stigma:
- Run campaigns to normalize seeking help, targeting men who avoid treatment.
- Train healthcare providers to recognize psychiatric suicide risk in conditions like autism.
- Provide resources and information to individuals and the community to support mental health and suicide prevention efforts.
- Support High-Risk Groups:
- Develop programs for women with mental health conditions, who face elevated psychiatric suicide risk.
- Create support groups to reduce repeated attempts.
A comprehensive suicide prevention plan at the national or community level is essential, incorporating evidence-based interventions and multisectoral coordination. Suicide prevention efforts require coordination and collaboration among multiple sectors including health, education, and politics. Community involvement is crucial for identifying priorities and implementing effective activities tailored to local needs. Every suicide represents a tragic loss of life, and prevention efforts can help protect years of life across all age groups. By fostering hope and resilience, we can support recovery and reduce suicide risk.
Integrate Mental Health Experts with FasPsych Telepsychiatry
The study underscores psychiatric conditions as a critical driver of suicide attempts and mortality, making it essential to integrate mental health experts into clinical environments as a best practice. Hospitals, primary care, and specialty clinics (e.g., oncology) must include mental health professionals to screen for and address psychiatric suicide risk, particularly for patients with depression or autism. Comprehensive suicide prevention requires a coordinated plan that involves both healthcare providers and the community to ensure effective interventions and support. Telepsychiatry through FasPsych is the ideal solution to implement this:
- Accessibility: FasPsych connects mental health experts to patients in rural or underserved areas, reducing barriers like stigma. Community-based telepsychiatry expands access to vital resources and confidential support for those in need.
- Scalability: FasPsych’s platform integrates psychiatric care into clinics without on-site specialists, enhancing efficiency and ensuring that resources are available to a broader population.
- Timely Intervention: Telepsychiatry ensures rapid support for acute psychiatric suicide risk, critical for high-risk patients. Access to confidential support can offer hope and immediate help during moments of crisis.
- Tailored Care: FasPsych provides therapies like CBT, tailored to address psychiatric suicide risk. These interventions are supported by research funding and aim to protect life and foster hope for recovery.
Act Now
Partner with FasPsych to integrate telepsychiatry and reduce psychiatric suicide risk. Visit our Partner with Us page or call 877-218-4070 to learn how these solutions can enhance suicide prevention.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What makes psychiatric suicide risk unique?
A: Psychiatric suicide risk is driven by mental health conditions like depression, which directly affect mood and impulsivity, leading to stronger links to suicide than physical conditions, which often contribute through stress or hopelessness. It is important to note that most people with mental illness do not die by suicide.
Q: How can mental health experts reduce psychiatric suicide risk?
A: Mental health experts can screen for psychiatric suicide risk, provide therapies like CBT, and monitor high-risk patients, preventing fatal outcomes. Creating an environment where individuals feel safe to express their emotions and seek help is also crucial.
Q: Why is FasPsych’s telepsychiatry the best solution?
A: FasPsych offers accessible, scalable telepsychiatry, delivering rapid, tailored care by mental health specialists—including detailed information about insurance—essential when the mental health causes of suicide can vary from those driven by other factors such as chronic diseases. Telepsychiatry can foster hope for recovery and prevention by providing timely support.
Q: What patient populations face the highest psychiatric suicide risk?
A: Individuals with depression, bipolar disorder, or autism, especially women, face the highest psychiatric suicide risk, according to the study. Suicide has a profound impact on life, affecting families, communities, and society as a whole.
Q: How can clinics implement telepsychiatry to address psychiatric suicide risk?
A: Visit to learn how FasPsych’s telepsychiatry can integrate mental health support into clinical settings and follow the JAMA study’s recommendations for better intervention strategies. Confidential support, resources, and community involvement are available to help those at risk. Developing a comprehensive plan for suicide prevention is essential for effective and coordinated action.