ADD and Suicide, is there a connection?

[Anonymous]

I have recently returned from helping my family bury my 30 year old nephew. Jamie was diagnosed, at age 6, with ADHD. He had finally followed through to get assistance in learning how to deal with his anger and lack of impulse control. His suicide appears to be more of “loss of impulse control” than of any planning on his part. Does anyone know of any research that has been done regarding any connections between ADD and suicide? Any ideas as to where I can find information regarding this?

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[kc5jck]

Russell Barkley mentioned suicide in one of his videos (check out youtube). I believe he said that people with ADHD, because of their impulsivity, make more attempts and with more serious outcomes than is normally seen. I am unaware of how thoroughly ADHD and suicide have been studied.

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[nellie]

Here area some links related to the issue:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15521824

http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/news/20101004/adhd-may-be-linked-to-depression-suicide

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2008/07/03/adhd-drug-warning.html

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[Anonymous]

There is clinical evidence that people with ADHD often have co-morbidities including depression, anxiety, bipolar.

In combination all of these conditions have higher rates of suicide.

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[Anonymous]

Thanks to all of you for the suggestions! I will be checking them out. I’m sure there will be some information to help my family begin to understand the reasons behind our tragedy.

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[Anonymous]

I think it is easier for one’s thoughts to get away from them with ADHD. And when they’re heading in a dark direction, it’s very easy to “catastophise” and believe that the current situation can’t get any worse. I certainly find myself plagued by dark thoughts every day, usually over situations that don’t seem to bleak a bit later. The problem is that “in the moment,” things are very overwhelming and seem hopeless. You want a release. When you’ve been dealing with it for decades, it’s quite possible to believe that the world would be better without you in it.

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[Anonymous]

Yes GameGuy thanks for your personal insight. I have been saying that he had a loss of impulse control to get through that dark period and from what you are saying it sounds like I am on the right track. It all gives us comfort just to understand a bit more. Thanks for sharing.

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[Tiddler]

I’m sorry for your loss.

When I was depressed, I had very frightening impulses to walk under buses and other catastrophic things. There was no planning. I was depressed, but did not want to end my life at all. However, these thoughts plagued me during that time and I found myself standing by the kerb waiting for a suitable vehicle to come past when i sort of ‘woke up’ to what I was doing and hurried home, where I called for immediate help.

I didn’t and don’t understand it now, but I think it fits with the impulse control you are talking about. In depression, perhaps my impulses became very bleak even if it wasn’t at all what I actually wanted to do.

Once again, I’m so sorry.

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[Shadow Nexus]

ADHD makes it impossible to get a “regular job”, since I can’t be packaged and put into a box. So, I gave up totally a few years ago. Then there’s finding a gal that have anything in common with. That is huge issue by itself. Suffering through one noise hell in apartment complex 10 years ago for about three years. Now, being stuck in another one for three years+ since again I can’t afford quieter. Section8 is still about 4-8 months away. Independent business idea I can’t focus on until I get out of the noisy building. My only thought, “How the hell can I get out of this noisehell quicker??”. I’v done everything possible to fix it. It’s like trying to put out a forest fire with a cup of water.

When, you add all this up and all the other hell i’v been through. I’v had to fight the impulse nearly everyday for 30 years. “Why not just end the pain and suffering now?” I’v found that the ADHD single-mindness helps and hope that things will get better. It’s hard to fight it off. On bad day, i’m so emotionally tired out from dealing with all the stress. Fighting it off takes every bit of willpower I have.

Many years ago, I planned it out in every detail. So, no one would have any hint or any warning. Something about the way my ADHD functions prevents me from crossing the line. My spiritual beliefs played a role as well. My strength of will amazes me that i’v gone through so much and i’m still around. I’v heard about people taking their own lives for far less than i’v been through.

Those of you that have had loved one or friend take there own lives remember it’s not about you. If they had doubts, somehow they would let it slip. Most do have doubts, “A permanent solution to a temporary problem.” At some level, they will cry for help. Your not perfect, don’t think you are. The signs slipped passed you. It was their inner demons that destroyed them.

Someone with no doubts and smart enough will find a way with no signs or warnings. In that case, don’t blame yourself. You did all you could.

I’v been to that dark place and back many times over. I’m able to escape, but some never make it out. Don’t blame yourself….

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[Shadow Nexus]

FYI, I went up on the list after more months of waiting. ARG!! So, i’m not just screwed, i’m REALLY screwed. After 3 years, it’s going to 1-3 years more. So, teaching english in another country is starting to looking like a great idea. Why, always one more new idea to try. I haven’t run out yet.

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[Robbo]

Hang tough Filmbuff,

Beleive it or not, I know some of your pain. All pain is relatively the same. We just experience it differently. Even compassion can be excruciating. Empathy is torturous. It’s the reward of compassion and empathy that make living IN the pain worth while.

I hope you find some people in your life that really understand how you feel. Please try to find them, and maybe you can begin to help you when you help them. Ya might as well give it a shot. All you’ve got to loose is the misery, hellish heartache, and of course the Anger we sometimes use to avoid the overwhelming grief we feel when we keep on getting kicked in the teeth by a cold blooded dog eat dog, hell called life.

Just my 7 cents worth

Love, peace and true enlightenment to you my kin dread spirited friend.

Sun 7:36 pm pst 2/19/12

Victory!!! I guessed the date this time and when I clicked the time place on my computer screen I was right!! I know what day it is!!!! Heck I’m well on my way to being sorta smart affter all. huh>

Ah crap. I know, don’t say it.

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Idiot, huh?

Crap!

I’m a fun idiot at least! huh?

if you forced me to answer, I’d have to guess that ADHDer’s probably think about killing ourself, try to kill ourselves with high risk extreme sports. But I seriously doubt many of us will ever be dumb enough to kill ourselves. We’ll think ourselves out of it every time. I gave up those dark thoughts a very long time ago, and I’ll never go back. I think it was about 20+ years ago. I was in so much pain that all I could think about was ending my life. I had no plan. I was too screwed up to put together any kind of plan. I had good benefits at teh time. I was a union carpenter. so I called the psychologist or someone in that office, told em how I was feeling. They asked me if I wanted an ambulance to talk me to the mental hospital. I said “Nah, I won’t do it, I just can’t stop wanting to” Drove myself there and that’s when I first started taking prozac. I went totally absolutely hypER manic in a couple weeks. They switched me to paxil and I was fairly okay for another 5 or 6 years.

then I got hit by a truck while stopped at a red light on my motorcycle. A 16 year old teen in a pickup truck blew right through me from behind. I was a ragdoll in the air for 97 feet. and now I have Chronic stinging pain that makes me wish I believe it’s possible to die. I know deep down there is something that created all this. And there is love in the world. I will not entertain the idea of killing me. that’s just too much pain to be responsible for. There are too many people I love and more I care about tons.

It’s just dumb anyway. JMHO. Being dumb is not a crime. If it was I’d be criminally insane!!!

7:49

I almost forgot, hey Filmbuff, how did you get that, oh crap I just figured out how… never mind.

Dang, I gotta quit saying I’m an idiot. it’ smaking me more idiotic.

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[Shadow Nexus]

90% of the time in the first one I spend away. Now, it’s about 70%. Got a friend nearby and parents house to goto in case it’s gets loud. Various ways to escape. Singing helps too. It annoying to hear about the trivial things that bother some,”how bad things are?”. Geez, live mine for three months and see if you don’t loose your sanity or off yourself.

PS, i’v been off my meds for a while now. I’m emotional state is becoming unstable again. I’ll be back on soon.

Venting: I’ll say it since no one will. Methods and thinking examined in fine detail. I’m no medical guru, but there effective. This insight should help to see what they were thinking. This is mine, others i’v talked to, and research.

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I can’t stand living anymore. It’s just too much, too much suffering and pain. It never ends. I’ll never find love. I’ll never get out of this bad environment. I’ll never [blank]. Life is pointless. That’s it I give up. No more emotional torture by living. Even a nightmare dreamworld is better than this. No more… How do I it?

Car off cliff – 100ft+ no seatbeat. Low chance that I’v be alive but severely injured. Better if off cliff with deep water at base.

Fast poison: hydrogen cyanide(gas), potassium cyanide(solid). Nice and quick used by spies and various, less than 30 seconds. How do I get it? hmmm

overdose of sleeping pills, good chance you’ll just wake up after a long sleep.

research for proper overdose values is needed.

A poke to the neck main blood line. quick, but messy. Pass out quickly then brain dead in 5 mins.

Gun to the head, tricky. If not done correctly, brain damage, not death. Direction must be chosen carefully.

Electric shock, quick if done correctly. Done wrong, brain damage, but not death.

Jump off a very high bridge. Tricky, low chance you might survive. I have to make sure there’s no one around to stop me.

There must be more choices. Hmmmm….

If I research suicide, I can find out the things that will give me away. So, no one will ever know. I can succeed at gaining peace of death.

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You thought I was kidding? This is the thinking that goes through your mind. Teenagers do this more often, since they don’t have coping mechs. I have many too choose from. Years ago, I figured out something was preventing me from crossing the line.

(neo-pagan/new age specific belief warning). Tarot says great changes are coming. Love comes into your life. More effort is needed to advance your career. The scientific side says be open to it, but be doubting.

One more idea of many to try next…

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[Author]

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