MSI Press Blog

  Tere is a strong and well-documented relationship between depression and suicide — but it’s not a simple cause-and-effect. Depression increases the risk of suicide, especially when it’s moderate to severe, but not everyone with depression becomes suicidal. 🧠 How Depression and Suicide Are Connected Depression distorts thinking : It can make people feel hopeless, helpless, and worthless — as if their pain will never end. Suicide may seem like a solution : In deep depression, people may believe that ending their life is the only way to escape emotional suffering. Isolation intensifies risk : Depression often leads to withdrawal from others, which removes protective factors like social support. Co-occurring issues matter : Substance abuse, trauma, and chronic illness can compound depression and increase suicide risk. About 60% of people who die by suicide have a mood disorder like depression or bipolar disorder. 🚨 Warning Signs to Watch For Talking about wanting to die or...

  PTSD is often described as a disorder of memory — the past refusing to stay in the past. But for many people, especially (though not exclusively) former military service members, PTSD is also a disorder of survival . The nervous system stays on high alert long after the danger has passed. The body keeps bracing. The mind keeps scanning. And over time, that constant vigilance can become unbearable. It’s in that unbearable space that suicidal thoughts sometimes take root. What the Research Shows People living with PTSD have significantly higher rates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts than the general population. The risk increases when: trauma was severe, prolonged, or repeated symptoms include hyperarousal, nightmares, or intrusive memories PTSD coexists with depression, anxiety, or substance use the person feels isolated or misunderstood the trauma involved moral injury — a violation of one’s core values Among former military service members, the risk is shaped ...

We often think of suicide as the final act of despair — a collapse into hopelessness, a quiet surrender. But sometimes, it’s not quiet at all. Sometimes, it’s fueled by rage. Anger and suicide may seem like emotional opposites. One explodes outward; the other implodes. But research shows they’re more connected than we think. Anger — especially when chronic, internalized, or unexpressed — can be a powerful risk factor for suicidal thoughts and behaviors. How Anger Contributes to Suicide Risk Angry temperament : A persistent tendency to feel and express anger, even without clear provocation, is linked to suicidal ideation — independent of depression. Internalized anger : When anger is turned inward, it can become self-loathing, guilt, or shame — emotional states that erode self-worth. Erosion of social support : Chronic anger can push people away, leaving the person feeling isolated and burdensome — key ingredients in the interpersonal theory of suicide. Impulsivity and emotion dy...