The Reality of High Suicidal Ideation Among Adults with Atopic Dermatitis: How Does Atopic Dermatitis Affect Mental Health? Exploring the Risk of Suicidal Ideation in Adult Patients

The international large-scale study presented at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) 2025 reported that adult patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) have a significantly higher rate of suicidal ideation compared to non-patients. Among the 30,800 respondents, 13.2% of those diagnosed with AD by a physician reported suicidal ideation, surpassing the 8.5% in the non-AD group. Factors such as severity, intense itching and skin pain, sleep disorders, experiences of stigma, being young, male, and obese were shown to increase the risk, with severe cases having about twice the risk. Previous meta-analyses have also linked AD to increased suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. On social media, diverse reactions were observed, including "visualization of experiences," "implementation of screening in dermatology," and concerns about "confusion between correlation and causation." Treatment should integrate mental health assessment and intervention in addition to controlling dermatitis.