Inflammation in Suicide

            In looking at the biological factors involved in suicide, inflammation and inflammatory conditions such as traumatic brain injuries, autoimmune disorders, and neuropsychiatric symptoms are only beginning to be explored.

            Familial transmission and early life adversity (ELA) are distant causes, associated with suicide risk. Family history of suicidal behavior has been identified as a risk as well as substance abuse.

            Mounting evidence shows the immune system as important in the pathophysiology of suicidality. The potential triggers of suicidal behavior include various inflammatory conditions (TBI, vitamin deficiency, autoimmune disorders, and infections), which, through raised levels of inflammation, can cause cause significant problems for individuals. These neurobiological effects might cause profound changes in emotion and behavior, which could ultimately lead to suicide in vulnerable individuals. Many more studies are needed.  

For more information, see complete article:

Role of Inflammation in Suicide: From Mechanisms to Treatment

                                                        For Those of Us Struggling

For those of us struggling with a mental health disorder, or have a family member with a mental health disorder, or those who have a loved one who has passed away due to suicide, not enough cannot be said or done to make things right.  The numbers keep rising, yet the research is still painfully slow in finding the causes and treatments for mental health diseases and suicide.

Many would say it's environmental.  Well, environment, most definitely, plays a significant part on a person's mental well-being.  There is no doubt. However, biological causes are equally as important.   Yet, so many still turn a blind eye to this, even with mounting evidence that it is the case.

If you don't suffer from a mental health disorder, count yourself fortunate.  If you are one of the 1 in 4 who does, well you are definitely not alone.  Unfortunately, our culture has made us (yes, I said us) feel alone, unusual, weird, and sometimes the target of jokes and bullying.  All the while, a great deal of the underlying causes are biological in origin.

Who would make fun of a person dying from heart disease?  Who would laugh at a child suffering from cancer?  No one.  Yet, mental illnesses have never been treated with the same dignity as other diseases.  How shameful our culture is.  How horrific these countless tragedies are to our innocent children, teens, adults, and the aging population.

Stigma and shame have led many to hide and not receive any kind of help.  Would you want to be embarrassed by your peers, cut from a list of job candidates, or denied decent insurance coverage, all because of a mental health condition?  

So hiding becomes a way of life for so many.  Is there any wonder why so many people are suffering?  Is there any wonder why so many people are dying by suicide?

As for those who do seek medical help, some have successful outcomes.  Yet for many, the treatments are, quite frankly, sub-par.  And these individuals are left floundering, jumping from one pill to the next, sometimes taking dangerous cocktails of meds. 

I say these things not to knock the psychiatric community.  They are merely doing their jobs. According to the limited research at hand, they are doing the best they can.  And that's the point. The research isn't there, or not nearly enough of it.  This, again, is because mental health conditions have been seen as not as important as 'real' medical conditions  Well, they are important, and they "are real".  They are biological in nature for many, and they have the added layer of being environmental.  Add stigma to the mix, and we have a recipe for disaster.

With all of this said, I do see the tides shifting a bit.  Or maybe it's wishful thinking on my part.  I hope not.  Organizations such as the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and others are supporting research into areas of biology and the mind.  Support groups, such as the Alliance of Hope (AOH) are making a huge impact on those who have lost loved ones to suicide. They are also working hard to remove stigma from mental health disorders and suicide.

We need to all keep working together.  We need to speak out until we are heard so that lives may be saved.

1. 
   

Genetics and Epigenetics

I’ve found that in trying to understand the underlying biological affects on mental illnesses, it’s necessary to understand a few terms.  Among these terms are Genetics and Epigenetics.  Both genetics and epigenetics have been found to be involved in various  diseases of the mind.

So, what is Genetics? Genetics is the study of heredity, in general, and of genes, in particular. 

Mental illnesses are thought to be caused by a variety of genetic and environmental factors:    

• Genetics (Inherited traits)  Mental illness is more common in people whose blood relatives also have a mental illness. Certain genes may increase your risk of developing a mental illness, and your life situation may trigger it.
• Environmental exposures before birth. Exposure to environmental stressors, inflammatory conditions, toxins, alcohol or drugs while in the womb can sometimes be linked to mental illness.
• Brain chemistry. Neurotransmitters are naturally occurring brain chemicals that carry signals to other parts of your brain and body. When the neural networks involving these chemicals are impaired, the function of nerve receptors and nerve systems change, leading to depression and other emotional disorders.  (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-illness/symptoms-causes/syc-20374968)

What is Epigenetics?  Epigenetics is the study of changes in gene activity which are not caused by changes in the DNA sequence.  It is a set of processes that effects which genes are switched-on (expressed).

It is also the study of how your behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work. Although the environment triggers natural developmental in some species, it often has harmful effects that have negative consequences for development and for disease.

Research is now showing that epigenetic changes are involved in ‘specific’ diseases. These include cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, cancer, and neurological disorders.

Over the years, it has been debated whether or not epigenetic changes (that have accumulated throughout an entire lifespan) can be carried down from one generation to next, and the next, etc. Researchers have now begun to show significant evidence that this is the case.

Epigenetic processes have recently been implicated to cause numerous mental health disorders, including the most profound – suicide.  One in four of us will suffer from a mental disorder each year – a quarter of our population.  Yet, mental health is still lagging far behind in research.

Undeniably, there is much to be done.  Scientists are currently working on drug  treatments to turn “on/off” the harmful epigenetic modification switches.  So much more work needs to be done.  We must advocate for funding for mental health.

    Suicide    

Where to start.  Suicide. Who is at risk?  Are there signs? Are there no signs?  Have our prevention initiatives been working?  Or is the suicide rate increasing at epidemic levels? 

 

These are the questions I, and many others, are asking.  We still do not know what causes this tragedy.  Sometimes, there are known mental illnesses.  Sometimes, there are not.  Sometimes, there are signs.  Sometimes, there are not.  And sometimes, there are unclear ‘possible’ signs, but not what someone would deem necessary of any type of intervention.  So, I ask again, who is at risk?  Do we really want to know?  Do we really want to spend our time and funding to try to stop this epidemic?  

Suicide is defined as the act or instance of taking one’s own life voluntarily and intentionally (Merriam-Webster).  It is described as a person’s self-inflicted violence with the intent to obliterate life, which most of the time culminates into serious physical injuries (CDC, 2015).  Here, my question is, how do we know what was in that person’s mind?  How do we know what a person's intentions truly are?  There have been many accounts from suicide survivors who have specifically said they didn't want to die.  They only wanted to stop the pain which had totally engulfed them.  

        Every 40 seconds, a person dies by suicide somewhere in the world, and many more attempt suicide (WHO, 2014). In the young age group of 15-29 year olds, suicide is the second leading cause of death (CDC, 2015).   Since 2015, this number has been updated to the second leading cause of death in 15-34 year-olds, and it is the tenth leading cause of death across all ages (CDC, 2015).  In 2018, 48,344 Americans died by suicide, and there were 1.4 million attempts. Worldwide, 800,000 people died that year by suicide. From these facts and the lack of proper treatment, suicide is now a global health concern.

I’ll ask you this.  If it were your child, your brother or sister, your loved one, would you want to know how to combat it before it’s too late?  If so, then take a crucial step to move forward for research into the scientific causes of suicide.

It’s way past time for us to stop being ‘uncomfortable’ about suicide.  Say the word.  Suicide.  No one wants to, but we must.  Our young people, our sons and daughters, are dying.  They are dying right in front of us, and many times, we don’t even know it’s happening until it’s too late.  Why?  Because of the stigma attached to suicide and to mental disorders.  And because the funding in this area is far lacking of the attention it deserves.

1 out of every 4 Americans experiences a mental health disorder.  Mental = Physical.  Like the heart, lungs, and kidneys, the brain is an organ.  In fact, the brain is the most complex organ in the body.  We need far more research into the areas of mental health diseases and suicide, and all stigma must be removed from those who suffer. 

Research is now being conducted on the effects of genetic components that increase the risk of suicide.  From these findings to date, the research suggests a strong link to inheritance, and therefore, a predisposition for suicidal ideation.  (nihms830663_Epigenetic (1))

This blog site will explore the Science Behind Diseases of the Mind and the Disease of Suicide. The site will, most importantly, be dedicated to our sons and daughters who have suffered at the hands of suicide.

 Suicide in Depression

                                    

              Of all the known mental disorders, major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most prevalent.  Depression affects 15-17% of our population, and 15% of this MDD group are at risk of suicide.  The article's focus is to evaluate our main research studies of those with MDD who are at risk for suicide. The goal is for planning effective suicide prevention strategies and therapeutic interventions for clinicians.

 

                A broad and comprehensive overview has been conducted by using PubMed/Medline for the topics 'Major Depressive Disorder' and 'Suicide'.  I would encourage you to read the article in its entirety as it goes into great depth on many variables involved in suicide in depression. 

 

                The results, in layperson's terms, are as follows:   Despite possible pathophysiological factors (changes to the functioning of the brain), which may explain the complexity of suicide in depressed people, scientific evidence has supposed the combination of additional factors.  These factors include genetics, epigenetics, and our internal and external stressors such as interpersonal, professional, financial, and psychiatric disorders.  Other factors that may play a part include our body's central stress response system, our lipid profile, our biomarkers (molecules that show the presence of disease or dysfunction), and our brain-derived neurotrophic factor (the gene that provides instructions for making a protein found in the brain and spinal cord). 

 

                    In conclusion to this study, suicide is seen to be a very complex and multifaceted phenomenon where many variables come in to play, especially with those experiencing major depressive disorder.  Modern psychiatry needs a much better interpretation of suicide risk.  In addition, we need to be much more careful in our assessment of prevention strategies for those who may be in danger of suicide.

                  Please read the complete article for more information:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340132427_Understanding_the_Complex_of_Suicide_in_Depression_from_Research_to_Clinics

         Diseases of the Mind and Suicide

                For far too long, we have been placing our minds on the back burner.  Science has sped along, figuring out causes and cures for many "physical " illnesses and diseases.  This is a wonderful thing.  We now have sound treatments for heart diseases, kidney disease, cancer, and many other physical conditions.  However, we have left the one organ out that controls all of the other organs.  This is the brain.  I'm not speaking about treating brain tumors and other "physical" conditions.  I'm speaking of something far more illusive; the mind.

            Much has been talked about in the realm of situational and environmental causes for mind, or if you will, mental illnesses.  However, not much has been shed on the biological nature and genetic causes for these conditions.  In this blog, I will explore the science behind diseases of the mind and suicide.  

            The question is not why we are looking into these diseases.  It's why has it taken us so long to do so?