Substance addictions and suicidal thoughts and behaviors: Evidence from a multi-wave epidemiological study

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Substance addiction (SA) is a known risk factor for suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB).
• However, specific substance addictions reliably linked to increased risk for suicidal ideation, planning, and attempt remain unclear.
• Understanding these links is crucial for targeted prevention and intervention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify specific substance addictions reliably associated with increased risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
• To compare the predictive accuracy of identified substance addictions against sociodemographic factors and other substance addictions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) spanning 2008–2020.
• Analyzed sociodemographic information, eleven types of substance addictions (e.g., alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, pain relievers), and suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
• Employed statistical analysis to determine stable and reliable predictors of STB.

Main Results:

• Substance addictions to alcohol, pain relievers, marijuana, and cocaine were identified as stable and reliable predictors of STB.
• Alcohol addiction demonstrated particularly strong predictive power, comparable to all other ten substance addictions combined.
• The model including selected substance addictions showed higher predictive accuracy than models with only sociodemographic factors or non-selected substance addictions.

Conclusions:

• Substance addictions to pain relievers, alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine are significant risk factors for concurrent suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
• Alcohol addiction emerges as a particularly potent predictor of suicidal ideation, planning, and attempt.
• These findings underscore the importance of addressing specific substance use disorders in suicide prevention efforts.