Risk of Sucide

Risk Factors for Suicide

Suicide risk is greatly increased with the presence of both depression and an anxiety or disruptive disorder.

Suicidal behavior risk factors have been classified into 2 separate categories: predisposing factors and precipitating factors. Predisposing factors are those that directly increase an adolescent's risk for suicide. They include the following.

Previous Suicide Attempt

Adolescents who have had a previous suicide attempt are much more likely to try again, with an even more marked increase in those with multiple previous attempts. Between one quarter and one third of adolescents who attempt suicide will go on to try again, with the greatest risk for recurrence falling between 6 months and 1 year after their first attempt.

History of a Prior or Ongoing Psychiatric Disorder

A prior or ongoing psychiatric disorder is a major risk factor for suicide, with studies showing that adolescents who commit suicide have a higher rate of depression, substance abuse disorders, eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and antisocial disorders.

History of Sexual or Physical Abuse

Studies have shown that adolescents who are victims of sexual or physical abuse are up to 3 times more likely to commit suicide and up to 8 times more likely to have repeated suicide attempts.

History or Exposure to Violent Behavior

Adolescents who have been exposed to high levels of violence are twice as likely to attempt suicide as those who have not.

Family History of Suicidal Behavior or Mood Disorders

A family history of suicidal behavior plays both a genetic and environmental role in increasing the risk for an adolescent's likelihood to attempt or commit suicide.

Biological Factors, Including Male Sex and Gay or Lesbian Sexual Orientation

Boys are about 5-6 times more likely to complete suicide than girls. Gay and lesbian teens are much more likely to have suicidal ideations and attempt suicide than heterosexual teens. There is some evidence to suggest that those adolescents with smaller concentrations of serotonin and all of its metabolites and receptors and neurons are at a greater risk of attempting and committing suicide.

In addition to these 6 direct risk factors, 4 main precipitating, or potentiating, factors play a role in adolescent suicide. Although they are not sufficient in and of themselves to increase suicide risk, they can synergistically increase the likelihood of some form of suicidal behavior when they are present. They include:

• Substance abuse
  
  
• Access to firearms or other means
  
  
• Social stress, such as interpersonal conflicts with friends, family, or law enforcement
  
  
• Emotional factors, such as feelings of despair or hopelessness.