Depression is considered one of the major threats to both mental and physical health. Ignoring its symptoms can ultimately put an individual at risk of suicide. Suicidal thoughts do not necessarily lead to suicide, but the warning signs should be taken seriously.
There are two types of depression. In severe depression, the symptoms listed below interfere with an individual’s ability to function in all areas of life (work, family, sleep, etc.). In dysthymia, the symptoms are not as severe, but they still prevent the individual from functioning at normal levels.
Common Symptoms of Depression that Occur Almost Every Day:
- Depressed mood, such as feelings of sadness or emptiness
- Loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities
- Significant weight loss or gain or changes in appetite
- Insomnia or hypersomnia (excessive sleeping)
- Restlessness, irritability
- Fatigue or loss of energy
- Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, or guilt
- Inability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness
- Frequent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, or planning for suicide
Family History of Depression (for example, having depressed parents) increases the likelihood of developing depression by 11 times.
Treatment for depression is effective in 60-80% of cases. However, according to the World Health Organization, less than 25% of individuals with depression receive adequate treatment.
If depression is left untreated, it can simultaneously lead to mental disorders such as substance abuse and alcohol use, higher rates of recurrent episodes, and an increased risk of suicide.
Severe Depression and Suicide Symptoms
Individuals who are depressed and exhibit the following symptoms are at particular risk for suicide:
- Severe hopelessness
- Loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyable
- Increased anxiety and/or panic attacks
- Insomnia
- Talking about suicide or having a history of suicide attempts
- Irritability and restlessness
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Warning Signs
- An individual who is at risk of suicide may:
- Talk about suicide, death, or having no reason to live.
- Be struggling with an incurable physical illness.
- Withdraw from friends or social activities.
- Recently experienced a severe loss, such as emotional trauma or other significant losses.
- Exhibit drastic changes in behavior.
- Lose interest in hobbies, work, school, etc.
- Make unexpected preparations for death, such as writing a will or making final arrangements.
- Give away valuable possessions.
- Have previously attempted suicide.
- Take unnecessary risks; be reckless or impulsive.
- Lose interest in their personal appearance.
- Increase alcohol or drug use.
- Express feelings of hopelessness.
- Face a situation of humiliation or failure.
- Have a history of violence or hostility.
- Show reluctance to “connect” with helpers.
Feelings, Thoughts, and Behaviors
Almost everyone thinks about suicide at some point in their life. Most people choose to live when they realize that the crisis is temporary, but death is permanent. On the other hand, individuals in the midst of a crisis often see their problem as unavoidable and feel they have completely lost control.
Often they say:
I can’t stop the pain. I can’t think clearly. I can’t make decisions. I can’t see a way out.
I can’t sleep or eat or work. I can’t get out of depression. I can’t get rid of sadness. There is no possibility of change for me. I can’t see myself as valuable. I can’t get anyone’s attention. I have no control over my thoughts and behaviors.
Antidepressants and Suicide Risk
To date, there is no evidence that antidepressant medications prescribed to treat depression increase suicide risk in children, adolescents, or adults.
Facts about Suicide
In 2006, suicide was the 11th leading cause of death in the United States, claiming 3,300 lives annually. The suicide rate among young people (15 to 24 years old) has increased by more than 200 percent in the past fifty years. The suicide rate among older adults over 85 is also very high.
Men are four times more likely to kill themselves than women, but women are three times more likely to attempt suicide than men.
Suicide occurs across ethnic, economic, social, and age boundaries.
Suicide is preventable. Most suicidal people desperately want to live. They just can’t see an alternative to their problems. Most suicidal people give definite warning signals of suicidal intent, but others are often unaware of the significance of these warnings or unsure what to do about them.
Talking about suicide does not make someone commit suicide.
Surviving family members not only suffer from the loss of a loved one to suicide, but they are also at increased risk for suicide and emotional problems themselves.
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The Connection Between Depression and Suicide Risk
Major depression is a psychiatric diagnosis most commonly associated with suicide. The risk of suicide leading to death among patients with untreated depressive disorder is nearly 20%. The suicide risk among patients receiving treatment is 141 per 100,000.
About two-thirds of individuals who die by suicide are depressed at the time of death.
Approximately 7 out of every 100 men and 1 out of every 100 women who have experienced depression in their lifetime will complete suicide.
The suicide risk in individuals with major depression is about 20 times higher than in the general population.
Individuals who have had multiple episodes of depression are at greater risk for suicide compared to those who have experienced only one episode.
Those who have depression along with alcohol or substance abuse are at an even higher risk of suicide.
Depression in Iran and the United States
Depression is the most common mental health disorder. The lifetime risk of depression is between 6% and 25%. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), 9.5% or 18.8 million adults in the United States suffer from depression each year.
The first comprehensive mental health study in Iran, conducted in 1999 among individuals aged 15 and older, found that 21% of the entire Iranian population exhibited some form of psychiatric disorder with positive mental health symptoms, including 9.14% of men and 9.25% of women. Additionally, 20.9% of urban residents and 21.3% of rural residents experienced mental health issues. Mental health disorders were more prevalent among illiterate groups, unemployed men, housewives, married individuals, those who were separated or divorced, and people in the 24-25 age range.