A prospective examination of COVID-19-related social distancing practices on suicidal ideation

History of Suicidality and Pandemic Outcomes: Longitudinal Associations with Anxiety Symptoms, Depressive Symptoms, and Problematic Drinking

Objective

Individuals with a history of suicidality may be especially vulnerable to the adverse impact of COVID-related stressors, but this vulnerability has not been demonstrated. This study examined the longitudinal effects of suicidality history (ideation only or attempt vs. none) and interactions with COVID-related stressors (e.g., work interruptions, childcare challenges, and financial stress) on anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and problematic drinking.

Methods

Longitudinal data from 517 participants were drawn from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Natural History Protocol and COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Alcohol Study. Lifetime history of suicidality was assessed using the clinician administered Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale. Multiple regressions tested the interaction between suicidality history and COVID-related stressors on clinical outcomes.

Results

Compared to individuals without any history of suicidality (79.9%; n = 413), individuals with a history of suicide ideation only (14.5%; n = 75) and suicide attempt (5.6%; n = 29) had higher anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and problematic drinking during the pandemic. Significant interaction effects showed the associations between COVID-related stressors and mental disorder symptoms were stronger among individuals with suicide attempt history than individuals without suicidality history.

Conclusions

History of suicide attempt in combination with high COVID-related stressors put individuals at the greatest risk for pandemic mental disorder symptoms. Individuals with suicide attempt history may have lower coping resources to handle COVID-related stressors. Suicide risk assessment and intervention to increase cognitive flexibility and emotional regulation skills may help these individuals manage emotional distress experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

The association of social, economic, and health-related variables with suicidal and/or self-harm thoughts in individuals admitted to a psychiatric inpatient unit during the COVID-19 pandemic: An exploratory study

Individuals with pre-existing psychiatric diagnoses appear to be vulnerable to worsening mental health symptoms during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Furthermore, psychiatric hospitalizations during the pandemic may be complicated by increased risk of SARS-Cov-2 infection and limited social engagement due to changes in hospital policies. The objective of our exploratory study was to determine whether social, economic, and health-related variables were associated with thoughts of suicide and/or self-harm since March 2020 in individuals admitted to a psychiatric inpatient unit during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chi-square tests revealed four variables were significantly associated with thoughts of suicide and/or self-harm: 1) difficulty with cancellation of important events, 2) some form of loneliness, 3) decreased time spent in green spaces, and 4) increased time spent using devices with screens. The logistic regression model showed a significant association between suicidal and/or self-harm thoughts and cancellation of important events. Further investigation of the loneliness variable components revealed a significant association between suicidal and/or self-harm thoughts and feeling a lack of companionship, feeling isolated, and feeling alone. These results suggest that social challenges experienced during the pandemic were associated with negative mental health symptoms of individuals admitted to a psychiatric inpatient unit.

Examining the Interrelationships Among Suicide Cognitions, Suicidal Ideation, and Theoretically Derived Protective Factors

INTRODUCTION

Several protective factors for mitigating suicidal ideation (SI) such as positive affect, reasons for living, purpose in life, meaning in life, gratitude, grit, optimism, social support, and hope have been identified and received empirical support. However, few studies have examined the interrelationships of these protective factors and the identification of protective factors most closely linked to lower levels of SI may be useful for both theory-building initiatives and improvement of suicide-specific interventions. Network analysis offers an approach for testing the relation among these constructs, SI, and suicide risk factors.

METHODS

A sample N = 557 undergraduate students oversampled for lifetime SI completed a cross-sectional, online survey. The data was used to estimate an undirected, cross-sectional network of the aforementioned protective factors.

RESULTS

The resulting inferred network implicates strong negative influence of suicide cognitions, but not recent SI, and the strong positive influence of presence of meaning in life, trait hope, and low negative affect.

CONCLUSIONS

Implications for dimensionality of SI versus suicide cognitions, targeting presence of meaning in life, trait hope, and negative affect in treatment, and cross-cultural variations in reasons for living are discussed. The study is limited by the cross-sectional and convenience sampling methodology.HighlightsProtective factors may have less direct influence on suicidal ideationSuicide cognitions and the suicidal mode may be of phenomenological importancePresence of meaning and trait hope may be primary targets for suicide interventions.

Global trends of suicidal thought, suicidal ideation, and self-harm during COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review

Background

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death. The current systematic review is done to know the trend of suicidal thoughts, suicidal ideation, and self-harm during COVID-19 pandemic.

Main text

The search was done by using PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar databases. With the help of Mendeley portal, articles were retrieved on the basis of inclusion criteria like to know the risk factors, vulnerable group, complete article PDFs, prevention strategies, aims, results, and limitations. The shortlisted data from search was tabulated, and the PRISMA chart was framed based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Result

Sixteen studies that satisfied the inclusion criteria were organized and selected. The variables and global scenario were considered in databases. It has been noticed that trends of suicidal thoughts, suicidal ideation, and self-harm remains the same in some countries like Japan, whereas in some countries like Bangladesh and France, trends of suicides had increased during the pandemic period. The probable cause could be lockdown, social isolation, and stoppage of recreational activities.

Conclusions

The trends of suicidal ideation, suicidal thoughts, and self-harm are more in vulnerable categories like health care professionals, university students, elderly individuals, and psychiatrically ill patients. In health care professional, it is due to the increased risk of contagion and watching deaths closely. In university students, it is due to the lack of recreational activities and social isolation. Among elderly, it is due to thinking themselves as overburden. The increase in suicidality in psychiatric ill patient admitted during COVID-19 pandemic is due to unknown cause.

Suicidal Ideation and Mental Health Help-Seeking Behaviors Among Older Chinese Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic

OBJECTIVE

To examine prevalence and correlates of suicidal ideation in older Chinese adults (OCAs) during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as mental health help-seeking behaviors of suicidal OCAs.

BACKGROUND

Few data on suicidal behaviors of older adults during the pandemic are available.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional survey, 1159 OCAs completed an online self-administered questionnaire between 23 February and 25 March 2020. A standardized single question and the 12-item General Health Questionnaire were used to assess the presence of suicidal ideation and common mental health problems (CMHPs), respectively. Suicidal ideators were further asked about their perceived need for mental health care and help-seeking from mental health workers.

RESULTS

4.1% of the OCAs experienced suicidal ideation during the past 2 weeks. Among the suicidal OCAs, 31.9% perceived a need for mental health care but only 10.6% had sought help from mental health workers. Factors significantly associated with suicidal ideation were a marital status of "others" (OR=2.39, P = .021), disagreement regarding the successful containment of the pandemic (OR=2.43, P = .022), physical health problems (OR=2.23, P = .012), and CMHPs (OR=4.99, P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

During the COVID-19 pandemic, OCAs constitute a subpopulation that needs mental health services for suicidal problems but tends not to seek mental health help. Mental health services for OCAs may include mental health education, periodic evaluation of risk of suicide, expanded psychosocial support, and, when necessary, psychological crisis intervention and psychiatric treatment.

A prospective examination of COVID-19-related social distancing practices on suicidal ideation

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred the implementation of several public safety measures to contain virus spread, most notably socially distancing policies. Prior research has linked similar public safety measures (i.e., quarantine) with suicide risk, in addition to supporting the role of social connection in suicidal thoughts and behaviors; consequently, there is a need to better understand the relationship between widespread social distancing policies and suicide risk. The current study aimed to examine the prospective association between COVID-19-related social distancing practices and suicidal ideation.

METHODS

Participants (N = 472) completed measures of suicidal ideation and impacts of social distancing practices at baseline and two weeks later.

RESULTS

After controlling for general psychosocial distress (i.e., depression, social connectedness), cross-lagged regression models identified prospective, bidirectional relationships between perceived impacts of social distancing on one's mental health and both passive and active suicidal ideation. The impact of social distancing on work/social routine was not associated with suicidal ideation.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, findings suggest the importance of an individual's perception regarding the effect of social distancing on their mental health, rather than the disruption to work or social routine, in suicide risk. Findings highlight potential targets for suicide risk prevention and intervention.