The impact of chronic illness in suicidality: a qualitative exploration

Objectives: To explore the experiences of patients with chronic physical illness in relation to suicidal behaviours and ideas. Design: A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. Methods: Fourteen patients with either multiple sclerosis or stage 5 chronic kidney disease were interviewed. Grounded theory was used to analyse the data. Results: Suicidal ideation was commonly reported by the study participants, and the relationship between the impact of a chronic physical illness, suicidality and risk factors was described. Several participants reported having planned suicide attempts as a consequence of finding living with their illness intolerable, and some had used non-adherence to treatment as a deliberate method to end their life. Conclusion: The findings suggest suicidality may be a relatively common experience in those with chronic illness facing a future of further losses, and that alongside passive thoughts of not being alive this may also include active thoughts about suicide. Health professionals should be alert to intentional non-adherence to treatment as an attempt to end one's life.