Suicide and suicidality in somatic symptom and related disorders: a systematic review
Open accessAbstract
Objective We sought to determine the frequency of and risk factors for suicide outcomes in somatic symptom and related disorders and whether any risk was independent of co-occurring mental disorders.Methods We conducted a systematic review of studies on suicide death, suicide attempts, and suicidal ideation in those with somatic symptom disorders published prior to September 22, 2020 and indexed in PubMED, MEDLINE, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, EMBASE, or SCOPUS according to PRISMA guidelines.Results Our search yielded 33 articles with significant heterogeneity in study design, sample selection, and assessment for suicide or risk factors. While suicide deaths have not been adequately studied, somatic symptom and related disorders are associated with increased risk for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, with estimates ranging from 24 to 34% of participants who endorsed current active suicidal ideation and 13-67% of participants who endorsed a prior suicide attempt. The risk appeared independent of co-occurring mental disorders. Identified risk factors for suicide attempts in samples with somatic symptom and related disorders include scores on measures of anger, alexithymia, alcohol use, past hospitalizations, dissociation, and emotional abuse.Conclusion Although the literature is sparse, there exists evidence for an association, even independent of other mental disorders, between somatic symptom and related disorders and suicide outcomes. Practice guidelines for the management of these disorders should incorporate recommendations for the assessment and management of suicide risk. Future study is necessary to more fully elucidate potential unique risk factors for those suffering from these complex disorders.
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Persistent physical symptoms are often accompanied by depression, anxiety, and sometimes by suicide attempts.
“persistent physical symptoms are often accompanied by depression, anxiety, and sometimes by suicide attempts”
From Persistent physical symptoms: definition, genesis, and management (2024) · cites this paper as [15]
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References 54 · Cited by 80
- Authors
- Torres, M. E., Löwe, B., Schmitz, S., Pienta, J. N., Van Der Feltz-Cornelis, C., & Fiedorowicz, J. G.
- Affiliations
- Florida Atlantic University (US)
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (DE)
- University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (US)
- University of Ottawa (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Fiedorowicz, Jess G.
- Venue
- Journal of Psychosomatic Research
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2021-01
- Volume
- 140
- Pages
- 110290
- ISSN
- 0022-3999 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC7945369
- OpenAlex
- W3098109629
- Cited by
- 80
- References
- 54
- Citations by year
- 2026: 18 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 1
- FWCI
- 0.45
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Journal of Psychosomatic Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- White Rose Research Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies
- Keywords
- somatic symptom and related disorders, suicide, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, suicide risk factors, alexithymia, anger, alcohol consumption, dissociation, emotional abuse, hospitalization, comorbid mental disorders
- MeSH terms
- Medically Unexplained Symptoms, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Male, Risk Factors, Suicide
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