Regional lithium prescription rates and recurrence in bipolar disorder

Background Lithium is the best documented maintenance treatment in bipolar disorder, but its use varies considerably across and within countries. It is not known whether regional differences in lithium prescription rates translate to differing regional outcomes. Aims To estimate associations between county specific lithium prescription rates and county specific recurrence odds of bipolar disorder in […]

Classic psychedelic use is associated with reduced psychological distress and suicidality in the United States adult population.

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Drug treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and suicidal behaviour: Register based study.

This study found no evidence for a positive association between the use of drug treatments for ADHD and the risk of concomitant suicidal behaviour among patients with ADHD. If anything, the results pointed to a potential protective effect of drugs for ADHD on suicidal behaviour, particularly for stimulant drugs. The study highlights the importance of […]

Depressive disorders and suicide: Epidemiology, risk factors, and burden.

The social and economic impact of mood disorders and suicide is extremely high and may be even higher in coming years, and yet, research in mental health is largely underfunded. This report summarizes the most recent data concerning the epidemiology and burden of depression and suicide, and underlines the most recent initiatives to identify the […]

Evidence-Based Practice in Suicidology: a Source Book

This edited book on evidence-based practice in suicidology is organized into 4 parts, beginning with the framework. The next section includes 9 chapters on evidence-based strategies for suicide prevention. Part 3 examines evidence-based approaches for specific disorders & behaviours. The final section is comprised of 2 chapters, including a commentary on perspectives in suicide research […]

Psychiatry Behind Bars: Practicing in Jails and Prisons

This article explains correctional facilities’ obligation to provide for inmates’ mental health needs & describes correctional mental health processes & how psychiatrists can play a role in screening, evaluation, & suicide prevention. (12 refs.) JA Contact us for a copy of this article, or view online at http://www.antoniocasella.eu/archipsy/Burns_2011.pdf

Suicide Among Men

In this editorial, the author asks what family physicians are doing to prevent suicide among men. The risks associated with 2 interventions, drug therapy & involuntary hospitalisation, are discussed. The editorial concludes by asking if family physicians cannot do more to prevent male suicide, pointing out that most individuals who die by suicide have seen […]

Adolesents who Self-Harm: how to Protect Them From Themselves

When treating teenagers with self-harming thoughts & behaviour, it may be difficult to distinguish suicide attempts from self-injury without intent to die. Understanding adolescent self-harm, suicide risk assessment, & treatment options guides clinicians to appropriate interventions. Recognizing the need for aggressive treatment – including psychiatric hospitalization – is essential to keeping self-harming teenagers safe. (28 […]

Helping Borderline Patients to “Get a Life” Book Review-Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder. A Guide to Evidence-Based Practice by J Paris

The reviewer states that this book “is not only a textbook on treatment of borderline personality disorder… it is also a synthesis of our knowledge concerning the syndrome, its nosology, epidemiology, etiology, outcome research, & so on”. The book is said to be an invaluable asset for anyone working in psychiatric care & suicide prevention.

Suicide in the Elderly: a Psychological Autopsy Study in a North Italy Area (1994-2004)

This cross-sectional study evaluated the role of several variables hypothesized in prior research to be associated with suicide in older adults. A psychological autopsy study of 99 elderly suicide victims, age 65 & older, in the province of Parma & Piacenza who died between 1994-2004 was done. 134 younger suicide victims (younger adults, aged less […]

Affective Disorders: the Role of the Duration of Untreated Illness, Suicidality and Parmacogenetics

In this editorial, the authors briefly review articles appearing in this journal issue including one on the effects of a community-based intervention program in Nurnberg. The number of suicide attempts and suicides dropped significantly comparing the baseline year & the control region. The sustainable effects could still be seen one year later. (7 refs.)

Duration of Untreated Illness and Suicide in Bipolar Disorder: a Naturalistic Study

This naturalistic study evaluated the potential influence of the duration of untreated illness on the clinical course of bipolar disorder. 320 outpatients with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, Type I or Type II, were interviewed & followed-up for 5 years. Patients with a longer duration of untreated illness showed a higher frequency of suicide attempts, […]

Factors Associated With Anxiety, Depression and Suicide Ideation in Female Outpatients with SLE in Japan

84 female Japanese outpatients with systemic lupus erythematosus were studied. Trait anxiety, state anxiety, depression, & suicide ideation were evaluated using psychological tests & the relationships between the respective psychological features & background factors were statistically evaluated using stepwise multiple logistic regression analyses. “Human relations among family members” & “high daily steroid dosage” were found […]

A Descriptive Analysis of 10,000 Suicide Attempters in United States Managed Care Plans, 1998-2005

This study examined annual rates of suicide attempts among managed care enrollees & describes their demographics, diagnoses, & prior treatments. A retrospective case series was compiled from the PharMetrics Integrated Outcomes Database, representing 47 million covered lives from 1998-2005. Suicide attempts were identified from paid claims data. Among 10,914 attempters, subjects with one suicide attempt […]

Helping College Students Cope With Suicidal Impulses (IN: Assessment, Treatment, and Prevention of Suicidal Behavior, edited by R I Yufit & D Lester)

This chapter opens by presenting data on the prevalence of suicide, suicide ideation, attempted suicide, other self-injurious behaviours, & stress among college & university students. Protective factors are discussed. The role of gatekeepers is outlined followed by an extensive discussion of assessment, intervention, & treatment, including psychological & pharmacological therapies. Involuntary hospitalization, practice recommendations, & […]

In Session With Jan Fawcett, MD: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Management of Suicide

In this interview, Dr. Fawcett answered the following questions: How common is suicide among patients seen by health care professionals? In what settings are patients most at risk? What can physicians do in cases where the patient is chronically suicidal? What are the indicators that most predict a suicide attempt? Have the demographics of suicide […]

Depression in Adolescents: Current Treatments, Suicidality and Evaluation of Novel Treatment Strategies

Depression in the child & adolescent population has been an area of research for over 20 years. Among novel therapeutic strategies, transcranial magnetic stimulation has demonstrated the most favourable side effect profile. Until this time, there are no published suicide attempts associated with this treatment & it may offer an option that is not associated […]

Suicidal Risk in Bipolar Disorder

Suicide rates in bipolar disorder patients average 0.4% per year, or more than 25-times higher than the general population average. Suicidal acts often occur early in the illness & in association with severe depressive & dysphoric-agitated mixed phases. Systematic consideration of risk factors can enhance the assessment of potentially suicidal patients. Several short-term interventions are […]

Prediction and Prevention of Suicide in Bipolar Disorders

The recognition & correct treatment of bipolar disorders is particularly important since untreated bipolar disorder carries an extremely high risk of both suicide attempts & deaths. Considering the clinically explorable suicide risk factors in bipolar disorders, suicidal behaviour in the majority of cases is predictable. There is also evidence that long-term treatment of bipolar patients […]

Treatment of Psychiatric Patients With Impending Suicidal Risk

Assessment of suicide risk is a challenging task which includes a psychopathological evaluation, consideration of socio-demographic & clinical variables, history of previous suicide attempts, & analysis of the psychological context. A high index of suspicion helps to avoid possible pitfalls in the assessment of suicide risk. Individuals with imminent risk of suicide need immediate & […]

Suicide Prevention

This pocket-book includes the following chapters: Historical Review; Definitions; Epidemiology; Contributing Factors to Suicide; Mental Disorders & the Biological Substrate of Suicide; Psychosocial Influences on Suicidal Behaviour; An Evidence Based Management Approach; Initial Assessment & Management; Non-Pharmacological Approaches; Pharmacological Approaches; Broad Suicide Prevention Initiatives; Bereavement After Suicide; Frequently Asked Queations; & Conclusion. An appendix provides […]

Psychotropic Prescriptions and Elderly Suicide Rates

The association between a decline in elderly suicide rates in England & Wales & changes in the prescribing of psychotropics for the period 1985-1996 was studied. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used to examine this relationship. Highly significant negative correlations were found between elderly suicide rates & tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antimanics, antipsychotics, […]

Train-Related Suicides in Milan, Italy: Analysis of Cases 1993-2008

Evidence of the frequent use of mainline & metropolitan trains as a means of suicide in & around Milan prompted the authors to analyse the occurrence of these events between 1993-2008. Data from the Institute of Legal Medicine were examined. The 155 selected cases were analysed for various aspects, including the chronology & dynamics of […]