Links Between Suicide and Depression

• Major depression is the psychiatric diagnosis most commonly associated with suicide
• About 2/3 of people who complete suicide are depressed at the time of their deaths
• One out of every 16 people who are diagnosed with depression eventually go on to end their lives through suicide
• The risk of suicide in people with major depression is about 20 times that of the general population
• People who have had multiple espisodes of depression are at greater risk for suicide than those who have had one episode
• People who have a dependence on alcohol or drugs in addition to being depressed are at greater risk for suicide

People who are depressed and exhibit the following symptoms are at particular risk for suicide:

1. Extreme hopelessness
2. A lack of interest in activities that were previously pleasurable
3. Heightened anxiety and/or panic attacks
4. Global insomnia
5. Talk about suicide or a prior history of attempts/acts
6. Irritability and agitation