Premature death in psychiatric patients, a true enigma

Abstract

Psychiatric disorders are an alteration of cognitive, affective and behavioral status, which are capable of enhancing the functioning of an individual. People who have a mental disorder throughout their lives are at increased risk of morbidity and mortality from different causes.
The analysis of years of life lost secondary to mental disorders has had a strong correlation with self-inflicted injuries and unintentional injuries, which are also associated with the age of diagnosis and psychiatric and somatic pre-existences.
The disorders mostly associated with psychiatric coexistence that generate an increase in mortality are eating disorders, alcohol use disorders and psychoactive substance abuse disorders.
In this review, we will address the causes of premature mortality in different psychiatric disorders.