A Current Perspective of Suicide and Attempted Suicide

A Current Perspective of Suicide and Attempted Suicide

J. John Mann, MD

From Columbia University, New York, New York.

Abstract

Suicide and suicide attempts are a major cause of death and morbidity worldwide. Suicide is generally a complication of a psychiatric disorder, but it requires additional risk factors because most psychiatric patients never attempt suicide. This review includes a hypothesized stress-diathesis model, which has implications for detection of high-risk patients and treatment interventions, and discusses promising treatment approaches that have been recently identified.

Article and Author Information

Acknowledgments: The author thanks Drs. Victoria Arango, Mark Underwood, and Kevin Malone for ideas and suggestions.
Grant Support: By the National Institute of Mental Health (MH46745, MH48514, MH40210, MH56390).
Requests for Single Reprints: J. John Mann, MD, Department of Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, Box 42, New York, NY 10032; e-mail, jjm{at}columbia.edu.