Depressed Men Who Drink More Likely to Commit Suicide

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010 at 5:45 am

Researchers say that men with clinical depression are more likely to kill themselves if they drink heavily or also suffer from a type of personality disorder known for aggressive and impulsive behavior, Reuters reported Dec. 23.

Researcher Gustavo Turecki and colleagues looked at a group of men with major depressive disorder, including 104 who committed suicide and 74 percent who are living. They found that those who were classified as alcohol abusers or dependent were four times more likely to kill themselves, while those with “Cluster B” personality disorders were 17 times more likely to commit suicide.

“Why some patients with major depressive disorder die by suicide while others with seemingly the same disorder do not, is a question of enormous clinical relevance,” the researchers noted. “…[H]igher levels of impulsive and aggressive behaviors, combined with behavioral disinhibition facilitated by substance use, may mediate suicide in major depressive disorder.”

Drinking and personality disorders were especially dangerous for younger men with depression. “If a clinician has a patient that has major depression and comorbidity with substance-related problems and the presence of cluster B personality trait and is younger, these are patients you want to make sure you pay close attention to,” said Turecki.