Anxiety as a Suicide Risk Factor

Evidence Supporting Anxiety as a Risk Factor

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry guidelines establish that mood and anxiety disorders increase the risk of suicidal ideation in both children and adolescents 1, 2, 3
Anxiety disorders independently increase the risk of suicide attempts in both sexes, particularly when comorbid with mood disorders 2, 3
Panic attacks specifically serve as a risk factor for suicidal ideation or attempts in females 1, 2, 3
Separation anxiety may provoke adolescent ideators to attempt suicide 1, 2, 3
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force confirms that increased suicide risk is associated with the presence of mental health disorders, including anxiety disorders, with approximately 87% of patients who die by suicide meeting criteria for one or more mental health disorders 4

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry guidelines suggest that future orientation, having plans and goals for the future, is protective against suicide 1, 3
Firm religious beliefs are well-established protective factors against suicide, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force 4
Having to work and living with family provide purpose, routine, social connection, and protective social support, reducing suicide risk 4

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry emphasizes that more than 90% of adolescents who commit suicide suffered from an associated psychiatric disorder at the time of death 1, 2
Anxiety rarely acts as a sole sufficient cause for suicide, but typically functions as a precipitating factor in individuals already at risk due to psychiatric conditions 5, 6, 7

When anxiety is present, clinicians should evaluate for comorbid mood disorders, which substantially amplify risk 1, 2, 3
Assess for substance abuse, which significantly increases suicide risk in teenagers aged 16 and older 1, 2, 3
Screen for previous suicide attempts, the most potent predictor in males (30-fold increased risk) 5, 6, 7
Identify specific anxiety subtypes, particularly panic attacks in females 1, 2, 3