Suicidal behaviour in patients with mood disorders

Abstract

The risk of suicidal behaviour in mood disorders is an inherent phenomenon and in patients with major mood disorders it strongly relates to the presence and severity of depressive episode. Suicidal behaviour in patients with mood disorders is state and severity dependent that means that suicidality markedly decreases or vanishes after clinical recovery. However, since the majority of mood disorder patients never commit and more than half of them never attempt suicide, special clinical characteristics of the illness as well as some personality, familial and psycho-social factors should also play a contributory role. Considering the clinically explorable suicide risk factors in patients with major mood disorders (family and/or personal hisotry of suicidal behaviour, early onset of mood disorder, severe depressive episode/hopelessness, agitated/ mixed depression, bipolar I or II diagnosis, rapid cycling course, comorbid Axis I and Axis II disorders, adverse life situations, lack of social and medical support, cy clothymic temperament, impulsive aggressive personality features, etc.), suicidal behaviour is predictable with a good chance. Successful acute and long-term pharmacotherapy markedly reduces the risk of attempted and completed suicide, even in this high-risk population. Supplementary psychosocial interventions (psychoeducation and targeted psychotherapies) further improve the results.

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Keywords

Major depressive disorder, bipolar disorders, suicidal behaviour, suicide risk factors, pharmacotherapy, psychosocial interventions