The addiction to suicidal behavior

Abstract

Addictions have traditionally been restricted to substance use disorders. In the context of behavioral addictions, some individuals could also be addicted to the repetition of suicidal behavior (SB). In 1998, Tullis proposed a theory of suicide addiction, suggesting that individuals addicted to SB might have three characteristics: the presence of childhood trauma, mood disorder, and multiple addictions. In a series of recent studies, we have refined the addictive hypothesis of SB and confirmed that around 10 % of suicide attempters can develop an addiction to SB. In addition to presenting our studies, we briefly review the psychological and neurobiological mechanisms underlying the addiction to SB. Additionally, we suggest that the most evident targets to halt the development of the addiction to SB are the opioid, stress (corticotropin-releasing factor, CRF), and dopaminergic systems.