Suicide and Lyme and associated diseases

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Lyme and associated diseases (LAD) have been linked to increased suicidal risk through case reports.
• Outdoor workers and veterans face higher LAD exposure and suicide risk.
• Infections, inflammation, and altered neural pathways are known contributors to suicidality, a mechanism also observed in LAD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between suicide and Lyme and associated diseases (LAD).
• To provide a comprehensive assessment of the link between LAD and suicidality, a topic not previously explored in depth.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review.
• Epidemiological calculations were performed to estimate the impact.

Main Results:

• LAD can contribute to suicidality and homicidality in individuals without prior suicidal ideation.
• A wide array of psychiatric symptoms, including anger, paranoia, anxiety, depression, and PTSD, are associated with LAD and increased suicide risk.
• Negative attitudes from healthcare providers and society may exacerbate suicide risk in LAD patients.
• An estimated 1,200 LAD-related suicides occur annually in the US.

Conclusions:

• Suicidality in LAD is a significant factor in unexplained suicides, linked to immune and metabolic changes.
• Symptoms associated with LAD can be debilitating, leading to overwhelming despair or impulsive, unpredictable suicidal behavior.
• There is a need for better understanding and direct statistics on LAD-related suicides.
• Medical examiners and epidemiological organizations should proactively investigate the LAD-suicide association.