Suicidal thoughts and behavior may be side effects of treatable illnesses. Almost all people who commit suicide had a diagnosable mental disorder at the time of their death – and many had more than one. The following are some of the most common psychiatric disorders that may include suicidal thoughts/behavior:

• Depression. A biologically based mental disorder with symptoms that include feelings of sadness, hopelessness, the inability to concentrate, and significant increases or decreases in sleep/appetite. Thoughts of suicide (suicidal ideation) are common in depression. Depression affects the body, mood and thoughts – distorting perceptions and impairing good judgment. There are several types of depression (e.g., major depression, dysthymia, bipolar disorder). Suicide is more likely to occur in people with major depression.
  
  
• Substance abuse. The use or dependence on alcohol or various prescription, over-the-counter (OTC) and/or recreational drugs. Alcohol or drug abuse can increase a person’s risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior because it can mask other disorders, such as depression. It can also decrease inhibitions and cause people to act more freely on impulses or feelings. Recent findings indicate that mental health disorders that coexist with substance abuse are significant risk factors for suicide.
  
  
• Borderline personality disorder. A personality disorder characterized by impulsivity and instability in mood, self-image and relationships. Self-injury and suicide attempts are common signs of this disorder.
  
  
• Anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Post-traumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder where symptoms, which may include suicidal thoughts, occur after a traumatic event (e.g., personal assaults, natural disasters, accidents, acts of terrorism, military combat). Other anxiety disorders, including panic disorders, can also be related to suicide.
  
  
• Schizophrenia. A major mental illness characterized by an inability to tell reality from fantasy and often includes hallucinations or delusions. Suicidal behavior is associated with this disorder.
  
  
• Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Individuals with this disorder have a distorted body image and think obsessively about their appearance, often for hours at a time. A recent study indicates that people with BDD are 45 times more likely to commit suicide than people in the general population. There is controversy over determining whether deaths associated with this disorder indicate a desire to die or a result of the techniques that sufferers may use to achieve the distorted body image they desire.