The use of drug and alcohol across general population is on the rise. Addiction to drug and alcohol is one of the commonest mental disorders. All types of substance use disorders are associated with increased risk of suicidal behaviours, including ideations, attempts, and fatalities. Suicide is an escalating public health problem, and alcohol use has consistently been implicated in the precipitation of suicidal behaviour. Alcohol abuse may lead to suicidality through disinhibition, impulsiveness and impaired judgment.

Psychiatric disorders, including psychosis, mood disorders and anxiety disorders, as well as susceptibility to stress, might increase the risk of suicidal behaviour. Increased suicide risk may be triggered by social withdrawal, breakdown of social bonds, and social isolation, which are common outcomes of untreated alcohol abuse and dependence.

Alcohol-induced disorders comprise of various types of delusions, delirium, memory disorder and sleep disorders appearing during intoxication or withdrawal. In addition, anxiety, mood and psychotic disorders, dementia, and sexual dysfunction related to both acute and chronic alcohol use are common. These disorders also include the typical visual hallucinations of seeing insects, delirium tremens and Korsakoff’s syndrome, which may occur as part of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

Alcohol consumption has health and social consequences via intoxication (drunkenness), dependence (habitual, compulsive and long-term drinking), and biochemical effects. In addition to chronic diseases that may affect drinkers after many years of heavy use, alcohol contributes to traumatic outcomes at a relatively young age, resulting in the loss of many years of life to death or disability.

What is more important is apart from the volume of alcohol consumed, the pattern of the drinking is relevant for health outcomes. Overall, there is a causal relationship between alcohol consumption and more than 60 types of mental and physical health illnesses. Alcohol is estimated to cause about 20–30 per cent of cases of oesophageal cancer, liver cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, homicide, epilepsy and road traffic accidents.

One of the main reasons why alcohol and drug abuse is so strongly associated with suicide is due to the psychological and psychosocial effects of untreated alcohol and drug dependence. Substance abuse and addiction often result in social aloofness, conflicts in personal and professional

relationships, and aggravation of psychiatric symptoms such as depression and anxiety, all of which contribute to suicidal behaviours.

Alcohol and various psychoactive substances are used as means of self-medication to cope with untreated mental health disorders, the symptoms of which are reciprocally exacerbated by substances. This results in a snowball effect of emotional decline and mental impairment that occurs with chronic drug and alcohol use.

Many people who drink excess would not categorize themselves as being alcoholics or having an alcohol use disorder. And many would also not consider broaching the subject to a clinician if they think it would be irrelevant, or they do not want to be labelled as someone with an alcohol problem. Increasing awareness of the dangers and risks associated with excessive drug and alcohol consumption, including binge drinking and chronic intoxication, is a first crucial preventative measure.