subject: Bipolar Disorder and Suicide [print this page] Bipolar Disorder and Suicide Bipolar Disorder and Suicide
There is a high risk of suicide associated with bipolar disorder. This is especially true of patients who present the following risk factors. In fact, these risk factors will increase a person's suicide rate dramatically from the normal 15 to 20%. Therefore, it is important to take a look at what these factors are.
Frequency Of Hospitalization Increases Suicide Risk
Frequent hospitalizations are one of the biggest risk factors that are associated with an increased risk of suicide. In fact, these hospitalizations will make a patient 2.5 times more likely to commit suicide.
Stressful Life Events Preceding The Onset Of Bipolar Increase Suicide Risk
Those patients who have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder after a stressful or traumatic life event (i.e. sexual abuse) are also at a higher risk of attempting suicide. This was established in a March 2009 study that was done by Comprehensive Psychiatry. They found that 60% of patients who attempt suicide have had a significant life change in the three months that preceded this attempt.
Depressive Or Mixed First Bipolar Episode Indicates A Higher Suicide Risk
Patients whose first episode was either depressed or mixed are also at a greater risk of attempting suicide. In fact, there was a study done in 2007 by the Journal Of Affective Disorders that found that patients whose first episode was depressive were eight times more likely to attempt suicide than those whose first episode was manic.
Drug And Alcohol Abuse Increases Suicide Risk
Whenever a patient's bipolar disorder is compounded with drug or alcohol abuse their risk of attempting suicide is increased to 38% instead of the normal 15 to 20%. This is because drugs and alcohol make the symptoms worse and the mood disorders more difficult to treat.
A Family History Of Suicide Increases The Risk
Those with a family history of suicide will place them at three times the normal risk. This is especially true if you have immediate family members who have committed suicide.
Age And Timing Affect The Risk Of Suicide in Bipolar Patients
The Journal Of Clinical Psychiatry has also discovered that bipolar patients are more likely to attempt to commit suicide within the first seven to twelve years after the onset of their illness. Most of these attempts also occur before the patient is 35-years-old. Another study was also done that supported this one while also discovering that a young age of onset is associated with a greater risk of suicide attempts.
