Suicide remains a leading preventable cause of death, Suicide rates in the United States increased ~37% between 2000 and 2022. Deaths by suicide have contributed significantly to the decline in U.S. life expectancy, alongside other “deaths of despair”1,2. In addition to suicide deaths, the number of U.S. adults reporting a lifetime suicide attempt has increased in recent birth cohorts3. Suicide attempts are more prevalent in those with co-occurring psychiatric problems. For example, among those with an alcohol use disorder (AUD), the prevalence of lifetime suicide attempt is more than triple the prevalence of the general population (17.5%)4 and 40% of those seeking treatment for AUD report at least one suicide attempt5–8. Additionally, meta-analyses of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) and suicide related outcomes reveal strong associations with attempt, plans, and death by suicide9. While mood-related problems are important risk factors for suicide present in these comorbid psychiatric problems10, other mechanisms related to behavioral disinhibition and impulsivity are also important for suicide risk.
