Substance Abuse and Suicide Prevention: Evidence and Implications

This document focuses on the current state of knowledge at the intersection of suicide and substance abuse. The first section focuses on the epidemiology of suicide itself and presents a brief history of the growing focus on suicide as a public health issue of significant concern. The second section provides an overview of what we know and do not know of the impact of substance abuse—including both drugs and alcohol—on suicide risk. The final section of the document explores suicide prevention within the public health context of behavioral health promotion and illness prevention.