Over 90% suicide death due to mental disorders

 

✅ Among all people who die by suicide:

Over 90% have a diagnosable mental disorder — including mild, moderate, and severe.

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📊 Breakdown:

Category Approximate % of suicide deaths

Any mental disorder (mild to severe) 90–95%

Mood disorders (depression, bipolar) ~60%

Substance use disorders ~25–40% (often co-occurs with depression)

Schizophrenia & psychotic disorders ~10%

Personality disorders (esp. borderline) ~10–15%

No diagnosed mental illness 5–10% (some may be undiagnosed or impulsive suicides)

> 🔹 These are not mutually exclusive — many people have multiple disorders.

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✅ What this means:

Almost everyone who dies by suicide was suffering from some form of mental illness, even if it was mild or undiagnosed.

Many suicide cases come from people with moderate depression, anxiety, or substance use — not just the most severe conditions.

Even mild disorders can be lethal under the wrong circumstances (e.g., a breakup, shame, financial stress).

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🧠 Key Insight for the Petition:

> "Over 90% of those who die by suicide were suffering from a mental disorder — whether mild, moderate, or severe. Many were never diagnosed or treated, even though help might have saved them."

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📚 Scientific and Government Sources

1. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) – USA

> “More than 90% of people who die by suicide have a diagnosable mental disorder at the time of their death.”

🔗 Source: NIMH Suicide Statistics

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2. World Health Organization (WHO) – Mental Health and Suicide Prevention

> "Mental disorders, particularly depression and substance use disorders, are associated with more than 90% of all cases of suicide."

🔗 Source: WHO: Suicide Prevention

(Archived reports, also supported in the Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2030)

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3. National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

> “About 90% of individuals who die by suicide have experienced mental illness.”

🔗 Source: NAMI: Suicide Facts

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4. American Association of Suicidology (AAS)

> “Research shows that 90–95% of people who die by suicide have a diagnosable mental disorder, most commonly depression or substance use.”

🔗 Source: AAS Facts & Stats

(https://suicidology.org/facts-stats/)

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5. Arsenault-Lapierre et al. (2004), The British Journal of Psychiatry

> “In psychological autopsy studies, more than 90% of suicide victims were found to have at least one psychiatric disorder.”

📘 Citation:

Arsenault-Lapierre, G., Kim, C., & Turecki, G. (2004). Psychiatric diagnoses in 3275 suicides: A meta-analysis. Br J Psychiatry, 184(2), 92–97.

DOI: 10.1192/bjp.184.2.92

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6. Cavanagh et al. (2003), Psychological Medicine

> Meta-analysis of psychological autopsies confirms: up to 90% of people who die by suicide have diagnosable mental illness, most commonly depression.

📘 Citation:

Cavanagh, J. T. O., et al. (2003). Psychological autopsy studies of suicide: a systematic review. Psychological Medicine, 33(3), 395–405.

DOI: 10.1017/S0033291702006943

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