Substance Abuse Linked to Suicide Risk

The latest study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration clearly links substance abuse with suicide.  Their overall numbers are that 32,000 suicides occur in the United States each year, but among people with a substance abuse disorder, 11% had considered suicide compared to 3% for people without such disorders.  This year, there was another important twist in the study.  In the past, the only people asked about suicide were those suffering from depression.  But according to this new report, a wide variety of people with and without depression were asked.  The other high-risk group included people between 18 and 25.  It’s very important when we talk about substance abuse, we understand that there are high-risk groups and groups that really cannot be ignored. 

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Safety of Antidepressants in Teens

There is a serious debate in psychiatry. Does the use of antidepressant medications help teens. Does it help them with the condition, or do they increase a teen risk of committing suicide? Back in 2004, the Food and Drug Administration included what is known as a black box warning on a group of antidepressants called the SSRIs to alert healthcare providers to an increased risk of suicidality in children and teens. New research revealed that information from 24 overall trials and over 4500 pediatric patients taking one of nine antidepressant medications found that only one trial, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, found significant increase in suicidality, and that was more than fourfold. However, when all 24 studies were combined, there was no increase. The conclusion? This is not a declaration a safety, but further warning that these medications need to be used under careful supervision, or at all.

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