Autism and suicide

Does having ASD increase suicide chance and suicidal ideation?

Adults with Asperger's syndrome were significantly more likely to report lifetime experience of suicidal ideation than were individuals from a general UK population sample

The paper highlights 9x higher ideation (95% confidence). This isn't completion, which could hypothetically protect from suicide (this is my theory, not the author's) because ideation becomes a normal cognitive state - "I'm alone" and "I'm a burden" (Interpersonal Theory of Suicide); and perhaps no inclusion of "I'm a burden" from social isolation.

• Suicidal ideation and suicide plans or attempts in adults with Asperger's syndrome attending a specialist diagnostic clinic: a clinical cohort study

A majority of autistic adults (72%) scored above the recommended psychiatric cut-off for suicide risk on the SBQ-R; significantly higher than general population (GP) adults (33%). Risk markers for suicidality in autistic adults

People with ASD also have shortened life spans (12 years), often relating to the suicide ideation:

Premature mortality in autism spectrum disorder

And late diagnosis/camouflaging is linked to this:

Is Camouflaging Autistic Traits Associated with Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviours? Expanding the Interpersonal Psychological Theory of Suicide in an Undergraduate Student Sample

What are suicide percentages in the UK?

ONS 2023 data

	Rate per 100,000	As percentage
Males (all ages)	17.4	0.017%
Females (all ages)	5.7	0.006%
Overall	11.4	0.011%

By age (2023):

Age group	Males per 100,000	Females per 100,000
45-49	25.5	—
50-54	—	9.2 (highest for women)

As percentages:

• Male baseline: 0.017% annual risk
• Female baseline: 0.006% annual risk
• Male 45-49: 0.026% annual risk (peak)