Search Results for « Suicide »

ABSTRACT: A random sample of 3,935 adults from a general population were interviewed and asked to report how often they had thoughts of suicide as well as their opinion on the frequency of suicide ideation in others. Depression was found to be related to the respondent's reports of his/her own suicidal thoughts and to reports of frequent suicide ideation in others. A total of 5.4 percent of the respondents reported some degree of suicide ideation in the previous month and 9.1 percent reported that others think about suicide once a month or more. When the demographic characteristics of those who report suicide ideation in themselves or others were compared to those of suicide attempters and committers, some consistencies were found, suggesting that such questions may be useful in identifying those “at risk.” Nevertheless, sufficient discrepancies were found which suggest that there may be a number of factors which increase or decrease the likelihood that someone with thoughts of suicide will attempt or commit suicide. Follow‐up studies are necessary to uncover such factors and the degrees to which they influence the occurrence of suicide.

Health care providers have significant opportunities to identify individuals at near‐term risk for suicide, but lack empirical data on near‐term risk factors. This study aimed to identify dynamic, state‐related risk factors observed by clinical practitioners within the last 30 days of life of 157 patients who died by suicide and to compare these near‐term risk factors among patients who denied versus responded positively to having suicide ideation ( SI ) when last asked by a clinical practitioner prior to their death. Risk factors charted for the majority of all decedents were a history of prior suicide ideation and/or suicide attempt, current anxiety/agitation and sleep problems, current interpersonal problems or job/financial strain, current comorbid diagnoses, current social isolation/withdrawal, and a family history of mental disorder. Two‐thirds of patients denied having SI when last asked and one‐half of these patients were dead by suicide within 2 days. Decedents who denied having SI were quite similar in charted diagnoses, symptoms, behaviors, and environmental circumstances to decedents who responded affirmatively to having SI . Reliance on verbalized or reported SI as a gateway to a suicide risk assessment is questioned and the need for better understanding near‐term risk for suicide, particularly in the absence of stated SI , is highlighted.

Suicide is the single largest cause of premature death among individuals with schizophrenia. Furthermore, epidemiological data indicate that nearly 80% of patients with the diagnosis of schizophrenia will experience a major depressive episode at some time during their lifetime. This report reviews recent findings relative to the risk of suicide in schizophrenia, including data from the Chestnut Lodge longitudinal study of schizophrenia subtypes and symptom domains. Paradoxically, those patients with schizophrenia who are most likely to recover or experience a good outcome are also those at greatest risk for suicide. The reduction of morbidity and mortality in schizophrenia should include depression and suicidality as targets for both psychopharmacological and psychosocial treatment.

ABSTRACT: In an effort to reduce the number of suicides from the Mid‐Hutson Bridge in Poughkeepsie, New York, the Dutchess County Department of Mental Hygiene and the New York State Bridge Authority jointly established a suicide prevention phone on the bridge, which is directly connected to a 24‐hour psychiatric emergency service. This program is the first known one in which a dedicated suicide prevention helpline has been installed at a site of known suicides and linked with a mental health service. After 2 years of operation, the phone has been used 30 times; the data suggest that most would‐be jumpers are ambivalent enough about dying that they will reach out for help/contact if the opportunity exists, and, as a consequence, can be saved.