The Role of Drinking in Suicidal Ideation: Analyses of Project MATCH Data

The associations of suicidal ideation (SI) with both the intensity & frequency of alcohol consumption were examined in a longitudinal study of treated alcoholics. SI was common for men & women entering treatment, & at least 3.6% of women & 4.2% of men reported SI at each follow-up. Gender patterns were found, while depression was linked to SI in both groups. Drinking was found to be strongly associated with SI & in women even light drinking, if regularly occurring, is associated with SI, with implications for suicide risk-recognition & intervention. (43 refs)