In episode 46: Anger & Suicide, Part I and episode 47: Anger & Suicide, Part II, we noted that anger and suicide are related. Of course, not everyone who takes their life has an anger management problem. And, of course, not all angry people are suicidal. It might seem that an angry person is more likely to pose a danger to others than to themselves. The portrayals of “bad guys” in movies and TV usually show them hurting or killing other people. We make think they’re “dangerous”, but we don’t necessarily see them as suicidal.
Yet, in a large national survey researchers Hawkins and Cougle (2013) found that people who get into trouble because of the ways they express anger are at heightened risk for becoming suicidal. Similarly, they found that even just experiencing high levels of angry emotions makes people more apt to become suicidal. In short, both:
1) the experience of high levels of angry feelings and
2) the expression of those feelings through impulsive means
increase suicide risk.
How Are Anger and Suicide Related?
In previous episodes of Leaving the Valley we have discussed Thomas Joiner’s Interpersonal Theory of Suicide. Essentially, the theory indicates that suicidal behavior occurs when individuals feel isolated, perceive themselves as burdens, overcome their natural resistance to death, and have access to the means for causing their own death. Anger problems can lead to both thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness, making the person more vulnerable to suicide. In short, as individuals struggle with angry thoughts and actions, they tend to become more isolated and may feel that they are more of a burden to others. This may precipitate suicidal thoughts and actions.
Impulsivity and Anger
Impulsivity or the difficulty of controlling impulses is a factor that further escalates suicide risk. Indeed, people who are referred for anger management problems are frequently diagnosed as having an “Intermittent Explosive Disorder”. This kind of person has trouble consistently controlling problematic impulses. They may act out on those impulses in an explosive way. It is not abnormal to have thoughts about doing something that is socially forbidden or inconsistent with our own values (e.g., What if I robbed a bank?). Most of the time, though, we refrain from acting on these thoughts because we consider the consequences. For a person with an impulse control problem, though, they may act literally without thinking. For these people, there is a rapid escalation of emotions leading to immediate actions expressing those emotions. This can include impulsive violent acts as well as suicidal actions.
Anger Management for Suicide Prevention
Enraged people may pose a threat to themselves as well as to others. The person who seems “angry enough to kill”, may be angry enough to kill themselves. It is important to realize that anger, apparently directed externally, may precipitate a suicide attempt. For this reason treatment for anger problems may reduce suicide risk.
In Conclusion…
Anger and suicide are highly related. Having a lot of angry feelings and the expression of those angry feelings can lead to greater social isolation and the feeling that you are a burden to those around you. Consistent with Joiner’s Interpersonal Theory of Suicide this can result in both suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts. Anger management treatment may serve to reduce suicide among angry people.