Abstract
Suicide, which is both a stereotypic yet highly individualized act, is a common endpoint for many patients with severe psychiatric illness. The mood disorders (depression and bipolar manic-depression) are by far the most common psychiatric conditions associated with suicide. At least 25% to 50% of patients with bipolar disorder also attempt suicide at least once. With the exception of lithium - which is the most demonstrably effective treatment against suicide - remarkably little is known about specific contributions of mood-altering treatments to minimizing mortality rates in persons with major mood disorders in general and bipolar depression in particular. Suicide is usually a manifestation of severe psychiatric distress that is often associated with a diagnosable and treatable form of depression or other mental illness. In a clinical setting, an assessment of suicidal risk must precede any attempt to treat psychiatric illness.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 47-51 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Journal of Clinical Psychiatry |
Volume | 61 |
Issue number | SUPPL. 9 |
State | Published - Jul 25 2000 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychiatry and Mental health