Why suicide risk may increase as we cope with COVID-19

The global pandemic caused by the coronavirus has upended every aspect of people's lives. More than three-quarters of Americans say they are living in relative isolation, avoiding small gatherings and public places. The communal hobbies and events that bring people joy and meaning — sports, movies, birthday parties, weddings — are now virtual affairs, if they happen at all. Meanwhile, the economic impact of COVID-19 is staggering: more than 16 million U.S. workers filed for unemployment in just three weeks. 

Trauma and grief follow in COVID-19's wake as the disease destroys our collective sense of normalcy, kills thousands of Americans, and threatens to be deadly for a projected 60,000 people in the U.S. The loneliness, anxiety, and depression that, for some, accompany the pandemic has prompted concern about a brewing mental health crisis. Now, a new article published in JAMA Psychiatry suggests that COVID-19 may lead to increased risk of suicide. The suicide rate, which is 14.2 per 100,000 people, has been rising steadily for years.  Read more...