Title: Depression and Risky Behavior
Headings: Depression and Risky Behavior
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Depression and Risky Behavior
Why self-destructive behavior may accompany depression and what to do about it.
Reasons for Self-Destructive Behavior

Content: Continued
Besides the physical and emotional costs, high-risk behaviors also make suicide or accidental death more likely. “These behaviors are usually a means of avoiding suicide and relieving pain, yet individuals who self-harm have a greater risk of suicide and suicidal behaviors than individuals who do not,” Cantor says. “ Thus, these symptoms of distress, if left untreated, may lead to suicidal gestures, attempts, or plans to commit suicide.” Or, as Gardenswartz notes, a person might not have suicidal intentions but may die accidentally from a drug overdose or car crash. Treating Harmful Behaviors
Treatment for self-destructive behaviors should focus on the underlying causes, experts say. “You have to find out, where is that coming from?” Curran says. “ A lot of those behaviors come from having experienced trauma, either witnessing it or experiencing it personally. There’s all this pent-up energy, and it comes out in the anxiety, depression, and risky behaviors. Dealing directly with the trauma helps.”