The Risk of Suicide in Those with ADHD

[Anahi Ortiz M.D.]

   This week I learned of the suicide death of a very talented and intelligent young lady, 18 years old, with bipolar disorder. She was the valedictorian of my nephew's high school graduating class and had a four year scholarship to Columbia University. Her death impacted me deeply. How painful must her mind and thoughts have been to jump 14 stories to her death. The risk of suicide in those with depression and bipolar are well known, however I began to wonder if there a risk for those with ADHD.

   In my research this week I did find some studies that looked at the risk, not many but what I found was disturbing. A large study done in Chicago and published in 2010, found that children diagnosed with ADHD between 4 and 6 years of age are at greater risk for depression and suicidal thoughts and actions between 9 and 18 years of age. In other words ADHD is not something to take lightly. It has short and long term consequences.

   This study also found that girls with ADHD at 4 to 6 years of age were at greater risk for adolescent depression and suicide attempts that boys. Of note, another study done in 2012 found that girls with ADHD were four times more likely to attempt suicide as young women. This was more likely in those with early signs of impulsivity. To conclude, girls with childhood ADHD maintain marked impairment by early adulthood, spreading from symptoms to risk for serious harm.

   In the Chicago study researchers also found that having the combined subtype predicted both depression and attempted suicide in adolescence, while having the inattentive type predicted only depression.

   Of note some of the children in the study were medicated and some were not.

   From these studies we can certainly conclude that early diagnosis and treatment for ADHD and depression are extremely important. Whatever your situation, seek professional help for your child if you suspect ADHD and/or depression. Please.

   As always I invite you to leave your comments and remarks. If you would like to contact me with questions, email me at [e-mail] or call me at 614 216 2283

  

[Dana Arcuri]

Severe pharmaceutical interactions with multiple medications will contribute to patients attempting suicide. The severe pharmaceutical interactions promote worse depression, anxiety, irritability, lack of cognitive function, changes in personality, suicidal thoughts, and becoming emotionally unstable. It is tragic, but the sad truth is this happens more often than society realizes.

[doug puryear]

many things - the grace of God, luck, stubborness, intelligence, support from grandmother and then from wife, plus my add is fairly mild (luck).  plus i had figured out some strategies ong before i knew i had add.

thank you for asking!

doug

[Anahi Ortiz M.D.]

Hi Connie and Doug,

What do you think helped you to get this far, given the ADHD and depression?

[Connie]

The findings of this study is not surprising.  Living with ADD is very hard and frustrating and leads to ADDers feeling bad about themselves, resulting in depression.  When I look back on my childhood, I can see that I was depressed as young as ten years old.

[doug puryear]

well, we screw up a lot, get a lot of criticism, often have people mad at us (probably what's worse is when they say 'no, I'm not mad at you, I'm just disappointed in you.') so our self esteem is pretty battered.  we cope with a lot of this by being perfectionistic, so we're doomed to failure.  then we are impulsive.  so its kind of a set up for suicide - I've never tried it, but used to think about it fairly often.

[Margaret]

Depressed kids with ADHD always worry the heck out of me. It is the impulsivity that worries me the most. Often times their suicide attempts are very impulsive, born of moments of despair. Depressed kids without the ADHD don't usually have as much impulsivity, and so get through these moments a bit better.