In the current study, Kaplan and his team found than less than half of the victims had a problem with alcohol dependence or alcoholism or a history of prior suicide-related behaviors, such as attempts or ideation - though 76 percent did show prior evidence of mental health problems.

"One hypothesis is these were individuals responding to major life stressors or crises, who engaged in drinking with a firearm present within a few hours of taking their lives and became disinhibited by the alcohol," Kaplan said.  "They were drinking excessively in order to make it possible to die by suicide."

The rates of committing suicide while intoxicated were highest among young men, American Indians/Alaska Natives, veterans and those from rural areas or low education levels.  

"When you look at men who die by suicide across the age span, there is a dramatic reduction in the likelihood of intoxication among older men," Kaplan said.