Panic disorder and suicidality: Prevalence and risk factors

Abstract

Recent epidemiological research describes an increased risk of suicidal behavior in patients with panic disorder. In direct contrast, retrospective file reviews do not reveal significant suicidality among panic patients. The current study was designed to provide an initial rapproachment between these different methods and contradictory findings by assessing directly the parameters of suicidal behavior in a sample of 50 patients with panic disorder. Twenty-six percent of the sample endorsed suicidal ideation because of their panic attacks, and four percent of the total sample reported attempts due to their panics. Panickers with suicidal ideation reported specific methods, with a range of lethality. Their rationales tended to cluster into ending attacks and preventing future attacks. In comparison to nonideating panickers, ideators were younger, had earlier age of onset of panic disorder, were rated as having somewhat more severe panic, and reported significantly greater levels of distress and psychopathology across a variety of psychometric instruments. These initial results are discussed in terms of supporting the epidemiology of and the identification of risk factors for suicidality in panic samples.