Current suicidal ideation in treatment-seeking individuals in the United Kingdom with gambling problems

Background: Studies show higher lifetime prevalence of suicidality in individuals with pathological gambling. However, less is known about the relationship between pathological gambling and current suicidal ideation. Objectives: We investigated socio-demographic, clinical and gambling-related variables associated with suicidality in treatment-seeking individuals. Methods: Bivariate analyses and logistic regression models were generated on data from 903 individuals to identify measures associated with aspects of suicidality. Results: Forty-six percent of patients reported current suicidal ideation. People with current suicidal thoughts were more likely to report greater problem-gambling severity (p < 0.001), depression (p < 0.001) and anxiety (p < 0.001) compared to those without suicidality. Logistic regression models suggested that past suicidal ideation (p < 0.001) and higher anxiety (p < 0.05) may be predictive factors of current suicidality. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the severity of anxiety disorder, along with a lifetime history of suicidal ideation, may help to identify treatment-seeking individuals with pathological gambling with a higher risk of suicidality, highlighting the importance of assessing suicidal ideation in clinical settings.