Individuals with substance dependence diagnoses (SDs) are a population with high suicide risk. Compared to the general population, people with SDs are 10 to 14 times as likely to die by suicide and poly-drug abusers have 17-fold increased risk of suicide rates1. In a large study conducted among individuals receiving Veterans Health Administration (VHA) care (fiscal years 2005–2006, N = 4,863,086), current diagnoses of alcohol, cocaine, cannabis, opioid, amphetamine, and sedative use disorders were all associated significantly with increased risk of suicide mortality2. Among people who report fair or poor health on the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (2006–2014; N = 502,467), those who had DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition) alcohol use disorders, painkiller use disorders, both alcohol and marijuana use disorders, and both alcohol and cocaine use disorders were 2.72 times (95% confidence interval, CI = 1.81–4.09), 2.25 times (95% CI = 1.04–4.90), 2.38 times (95% CI = 1.25–4.54), and 3.15 times (95% CI = 1.16–8.60) as likely as people without SD to attempt suicide, respectively3. Although these data support high comorbidity between suicidality and SDs, very limited information is available regarding the underlying molecular mechanisms.
