ANK Behavioral Health links extreme heat to higher suicide risk

ANK Behavioral Health is highlighting peer-reviewed research suggesting that rising temperatures are associated with higher suicide risk, especially during summer heat waves. The New Jersey psychiatric practice is urging families to check in on vulnerable people and use 988 if a mental health crisis emerges.

Why it matters: - Rising temperatures are not just a physical health issue. ANK Behavioral Health says heat can also raise mental health risks at a population level. - The practice is urging extra attention during heat waves for teenagers, older adults, people with existing mental health conditions, and those without reliable access to cooling. - The message matters as the country faces more record-breaking summer heat.

What happened: - ANK Behavioral Health, a Mount Laurel, New Jersey psychiatric practice, highlighted research linking higher temperatures with increased suicide risk. - Founder Alyssa Killion said the pattern shows up across countries, decades and different research methods. - The practice pointed people to more information. - The practice also directed anyone in crisis to call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

The details: - A 2018 study in Nature Climate Change found suicide rates rose by about 0.7% in U.S. counties and 2.1% in Mexican municipalities for every 1°C increase in monthly average temperature. - The same research group found declines in well-being during warmer periods in an analysis of hundreds of millions of social media posts. - A 2026 study in the American Journal of Psychiatry found the heat-suicide link was especially pronounced among people ages 15 to 24. - A 2026 analysis of crisis hotline records found suicide-related help-seeking rose sharply on unusually warm nights. - Researchers tied the pattern to disrupted sleep, mood changes, irritability, impulsivity, social isolation and reduced access to basic resources. - ANK Behavioral Health said the practice offers psychiatric evaluation and ongoing care by telehealth across New Jersey. - First appointments run 60 to 90 minutes to allow time for a full conversation about symptoms and concerns. - The practice says it has served New Jersey patients since 2012 and accepts major insurance plans.

Between the lines: - Killion said heat can affect sleep, brain chemistry and impulse control, which may help explain why mental health risks rise when temperatures climb. - The practice is careful to frame the research as a broad trend, not a prediction for any one person. - That distinction matters because most people do not experience a mental health crisis during hot weather.

What's next: - ANK Behavioral Health is encouraging people to check in on one another during heat waves, especially by phone call or text. - The practice is also advising people who notice changes in mood, sleep or coping during extreme heat to seek support early. - Ongoing research may continue to clarify which groups face the highest risk and how heat interacts with existing stressors.