Alcohol and Suicidal Ideation

With increasing rates of suicides across the world by the year, Alcohol and drug abuse are considered the major risk factors for suicide. Abusing alcohol increases the rate of suicide to as much as eight times. This is because alcohol is a depressant. Alcohol is known to affect several nerve-chemical systems and can interfere with what our brains need to do to keep good mental health.

Suicidal tendencies could also result from genetics. Certain genes are prone to depression and when combined with alcohol, these genes may double up the risk. Alcohol abuse and addiction have a number of risk factors in common. Among the other risks, suicide may be preceded by social withdrawal, disruption of social bonds, and social insignificance, which are common fallouts of untreated alcohol abuse and dependence.

Alcohol possesses the dexterity to lower people’s inhibitions enough for them to act on their suicidal thoughts. It alters activity in parts of the brain associated with inhibition. A study claims that men are at higher risk of suicide (accounting for three-quarters of all deaths by suicide in the UK in 2018) and are more likely than women to turn to alcohol when they’re in distress.

COMMON RISK FACTORS
The relationship between alcohol abuse and suicidal behaviour can be apprehended in numerous ways. It can be established from a perspective of biological, psychological or social effects and it can also be observed by the corresponding effect of the use of alcohol and the suicidal behaviour.

Common risk factors for pre-disposition of an alcohol addict’s suicidal urges include:

Exposure A person’s risk for alcoholism and suicide there off increases by being exposed to either suicidal behaviours or alcoholism at home or in the community.
Societal Pressures Societal Pressures may play a major role in a person’s vulnerability to both alcohol addiction and suicidal behaviour. However, the amount of risk depends on the ability of the person to deal with these pressures.
Genes Substance use disorders are mostly genetic. For instance, if someone has a close blood relative by blood, who suffers from alcohol addiction, he or she will be more likely to experience the same symptoms. Also, having a family member who has previously exhibited suicidal behaviour or died by committing suicide, chances are that this person also ends up becoming suicidal.
Trauma Early childhood trauma or loss of a dear one may lead to alcohol abuse and addiction and may result in the development of suicidal behaviours.

Many people who experience addiction and suicidal ideation keep quiet and do not expose their conditions. Therefore, it is difficult to pre-discover the persons who are in the risk zone. However, there are certain tell-tale signs which can help identify people prone to suicide.

SIGNS

Risky Behaviour Someone who involves in extremely dangerous experiments or behaviours may be indicative of a pre-planned alcohol-induced suicide attempt. risky behaviours are a common side effect of alcohol intoxication. Such behaviours include unsafe sexual encounters and drunk driving, getting into fights with mobs etc.
Previous Attempts of Suicide or Self Harm Alcoholics who have a history of self-harm of suicide attempts could might as well repeat their attempts in future under intoxication.
Talking About or Threatening of Suicide Talking or threatening about suicide while intoxicated could be a prior indication that someone is at risk for materialising their thoughts.

PREVENTION
Choosing the right rehab and seeking treatment for co-occurring diseases of alcoholism and depression could prevent many alcohol induced suicides. The signs foretelling a possible suicide should never be ignored as it could materialise and result in the death of a person.
Also, people who abstained from alcohol should be under scrutiny as suicide ideation is part of withdrawal symptoms.