If you’ve ever contacted a suicide or crisis line, you were likely asked if you had been drinking alcohol or using other substances. Professionals who work in suicide prevention understand that substance misuse puts people at increased risk, so they need to know if you’ve been using any substances to know how best to keep you safe. At Safe Harbor Recovery Center in Portsmouth, Virginia, we think it’s important for everyone to understand the link between drug use and suicide.
Suicide and SUD Statistics
Compared to the general population, the risk of death by suicide increases by:
- 5.8 times for people with alcohol use disorder only
- 8.1 times for people with co-occurring alcohol and substance use disorders (SUDs)
- 11.2 times for people with co-occurring alcohol, drug, and tobacco use disorders
Risk Factors Associated with Substance Misuse
The correlation between substance use and suicide has some layers, such as:
- Underlying mental health issues: A person with a SUD is more likely to develop a mental illness and vice versa. This compounds the risk of suicidal thoughts, attempts, and mortality.
- Stress: SUDs cause physical and mental stress, damage brain functioning, and create legal, financial, and relationship issues
- Health inequities: When people who are part of the LGBT+ community or from a minority ethnic background develop a SUD, they are less likely to have health insurance or easy access to treatment, which can make it harder to get treatment and increase the likelihood of a person engaging in a suicide attempt.
- Isolation: As a person spirals deeper into addiction, they tend to become more and more removed from the people who care about them. There can come a point where they no longer have anyone to reach out to for help and support.
- Impaired judgement and impulse control: It only takes a moment to act on a suicidal thought, and without the usual number of inhibitions to stop them, people may find it easier to follow through with suicidal ideation. For this reason, a person who wants to die and has access to firearms is at much greater risk if they are under the influence of substances or have a history of substance use.
How to Assess Suicide Risk
If you are concerned that someone you know could be at risk for suicide, The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has a free online tool you can use to identify risk factors, which include:
- Prior suicide attempts
- Alcohol or substance use
- A personal or family history of mental illness
- Access to a method to kill themselves
- Knowing a person who died by suicide, especially a relative or close friend
- Isolation
- Chronic pain, disease or disability
- Inability to access behavioral health treatment
- Feelings of hopelessness, sadness or pointlessness
- Engaging in self-harm
- A recent big loss such as job, relationship, housing, or financial
To whatever extent it is possible, attempt to reduce their risk factors and boost their protective factors, such as:
- Connection to people who care about them
- Access to treatment for mental health and substance use
- Purpose in life
- Confidence that they can navigate difficult situations
- No access to lethal means
Start the Conversation
If your assessment determines that there is some cause for concern, talk to the person about what you see:
- Ask: Ask the person directly if they are considering suicide.
- Care: Listen calmly while the person shares how they are feeling and what thoughts they are having.
- Escort: Do not leave them alone. If they are considering suicide, they need to have someone with them or be connected with mental health supports like their therapist. If you don’t feel confident that you can keep them safe, you can also connect them to emergency mental health services by going to the nearest ER or calling 911. For active-duty military personnel, chaplains or unit leadership should be involved.
At Safe Harbor Recovery Center, we know how uncomfortable it can be to talk about suicide with someone you care about. We encourage you to practice these skills with a partner, to help both of you to become more comfortable with being uncomfortable, so that you are both more ready to save a life if the need arises.