Suicide Can't Be Blamed on Only One or Two Mental Illnesses

The highest risk of suicide in men with mental illness is found in those with bipolar disorder, and the highest risk of suicide in women with mental illness is found in those with schizophrenia, according to a Danish study published in the October Archives of General Psychiatry.

However, according to a study in the December 2010 American Journal of Public Health, 60 percent of suicide attempts can be attributed to major depressive disorder, borderline personality disorder, nicotine dependence, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Thus, despite  findings of the newly published study, not just bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, but multiple mental illnesses, can contribute to suicidal behavior. More information about this study can be found in Psychiatric News at http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/content/46/3/16.2.full.

To learn more about potential risk factors related to suicide, see Psychiatric News at http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/content/46/17/24.1.full and http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/content/46/12/31.1.full.

In addition, American Psychiatric Publishing offers a new book for psychiatrists titled Preventing Patient Suicide: Clinical Assessment and Management, which provides clinicians with the latest knowledge in this area.

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