Summary: A recent study led by Rebecca Robbins, PhD, from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, explores the relationship between sleep difficulties, substance abuse, and suicidal ideation in adolescents with a history of depression. Using data from the National Surveys of Drug Use and Health from 2015 to 2020, the study found significant associations between sleep problems and suicidal thoughts, which were intensified by alcohol and illicit drug abuse. The research underscores the importance of addressing sleep issues and substance abuse to prevent suicide among depressed adolescents.
Key Takeaways:
- Association Between Sleep Issues and Suicidal Ideation: The study identified a significant link between sleep difficulties and suicidal thoughts in adolescents with depression, with these associations being more pronounced among those who abused alcohol or illicit drugs.
- Implications for Mental Health: The findings are consistent with past research linking sleep difficulties with mental health concerns.
- Need for Targeted Interventions: Researchers say the findings underscore the importance of developing targeted interventions that address both sleep difficulties and substance abuse to help prevent suicide in this high-risk population.
A recent study led by Rebecca Robbins, PhD, from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, published in Psychiatry Research, reveals significant associations between sleep difficulties and suicidal ideation among adolescents with a history of depression.
The study, utilizing data from the National Surveys of Drug Use and Health from 2015 to 2020, highlights how these associations are intensified by alcohol and illicit drug abuse.
In the following Q&A, Robbins discusses her study’s findings and their implications for addressing sleep issues and substance abuse in this vulnerable population.
How would you summarize your study for a lay audience?
Suicide is one of the leading causes of death for adolescents in the US. We know, due to previous research, that difficulty falling asleep or waking up too early as well as abuse of prescription drugs, sedative, and opioids is associated with thinking, planning, or attempting suicide—otherwise known as suicide ideation.
Using responses from the 2015 to 2020 National Surveys of Drug Use and Health, our team analyzed and quantified the associations between sleep difficulties and suicidal ideation among adolescents with a history of depression and how these associations were amplified by illicit drug and/or alcohol abuse/dependence.
We found significant associations between sleeping difficulties and suicide ideation among adolescents with a history of depression and a more robust association between sleep difficulties when the person reported alcohol abuse/dependence and those that reported illicit drug abuse/dependence in the past year
What knowledge gaps does your study help to fill?
Through our analysis, we quantified the connection between sleep difficulty and substance use among adolescents with a history of depression. Our work suggests significant associations between sleep difficulties, illicit drug use, and suicidal ideation in adolescents with symptoms of major depressive episodes.
How did you conduct your study?
We analyzed [National Surveys of Drug Use and Health] survey results from 38,418 respondents between the ages of 12 to 17 over a five-year period. Questions in the surveys asked respondents about their sleep difficulties, suicide ideation symptoms, illicit drug use, and depression symptoms.
From that dataset, 11.6% reported thinking about suicide, 5.7% reported planning a suicide attempt and 3.8% reported making a suicide attempt. Additionally, 16.7% reported sleeping difficulties. Respondents who engaged with alcohol abuse had associations with sleep difficulties and attempts of suicide. Respondents who partook in illicit drug abuse had associations with sleep difficulties and thinking and attempting suicide.
What are the implications?
The findings of our work are consistent with past research connecting difficulty in sleeping with mental health concerns, such as suicide ideation. Fortunately, behavioral interventions, therapies and medications can treat patients who experience difficulties in sleeping.
There are a few limitations to our study, therefore, our results should be interpreted with caution. In the dataset, there was one question about sleeping difficulties. In addition, based on the format of the questions in the survey, it’s possible sleep difficulty and suicide behavior symptoms were experienced more than one year before and alcohol and illicit drug use occurred in the year prior to the responses.
What are the next steps?
Fortunately, sleep difficulties are treatable with behavioral therapy and medication. Future research may include designing sleep health interventions that are tailored to the needs of adolescents struggling with mental health concerns and/or substance use/abuse.
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