Year: 1994 Source: Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine, v.61, no.3, (May-June 1993), p.174-175 SIEC No: 19940995

This article notes that the common misconception that asking questions about suicide prompts the patient to consider & to act on it, may prevent some physicians from broaching the subject, but patients who are distressed by suicidal thoughts may be relieved that someone has asked. Questions which approach the subject obliquely are provided as examples. Diagnosing major depression, factors confounding the diagnosis & evaluation are discussed.