Crohn’s Disease and Suicide Risk: What You Should Know

7 Ways to Manage Suicide Risk With Crohn’s Disease

You can lower your risk of suicide with Crohn’s with the help of your care team, your loved ones, and lifestyle habits that protect your mental health.

1. Follow Your Crohn’s Treatment Plan

Crohn’s treatment decreases inflammation, which can improve not only your GI symptoms, but also your mental health. As your Crohn’s symptoms improve, you may also notice fewer of the suicide risk factors mentioned above, like fatigue, pain, and social isolation.

2. Talk With Your Care Team

Your provider should ask about your mental health at every visit, says Hurd. But if they don’t, you can take charge and tell them how you’re feeling.

“As a gastrointestinal psychiatrist, something that I see as the most important step is ensuring that mental health is treated as a coequal part of Crohn’s disease management, not an afterthought,” says Brandon.

If you feel your treatment isn’t helping and inflammation is causing mental health symptoms for you, your gastroenterologist should be able to adjust your medication regimen. But don’t make any changes to your treatment without talking to your gastroenterologist first.

3. Ask for Professional Mental Health Support

At an appointment with your GI specialist, you can also ask for a referral to a therapist or psychiatrist. “A mental health professional can provide proven strategies to cope with the challenges of chronic illness,” says Parian.

“It is normal to feel sad and anxious while living with IBD and any chronic health condition, but if it’s impacting your quality of life and lasting for weeks [or longer], it matters to see a psychiatrist for diagnosis, therapy, and medications,” says Brandon.

4. Find a Support System

“Connecting with others can combat feelings of isolation,” says Parian. “This includes confiding in trusted friends and family or joining IBD-specific support groups to share experiences with peers who understand.”

Brandon encourages her patients to participate as much as they can with peer support groups, like those offered by the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, which has a directory of in-person and virtual options.

5. Create Healthy Exercise, Sleep, and Mindfulness Habits