Anxiety increases suicide risk

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

A pre-existing anxiety disorder increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and suicidal attempts.
Suicidal thoughts and previous attempts are very strong risk factors for completed suicide. Researchers at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada, have been looking at the role anxiety disorder plays in the lead-up to suicide.

Nearly 5,000 people participated in interviews at the start of the study and one and three years later. During this time, suicidal ideas and attempts were recorded. The presence of anxiety disorder at the start was found to double the risk of suicidal ideas and to treble the risk of suicide attempts. Where mood disorder, such as depression, was present, the co-existence of an anxiety disorder enhanced the risk of suicidal thoughts. This is the first study to show that anxiety disorders are a risk factor in suicide. Further work is now needed to see if treatment of anxiety can reduce the suicide rate.

Source
Archives of General Psychiatry November 2005 Volume 62 pages 1249-1257.

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