The effects of antidepressants & conventional antipsychotics on suicide risk are uncertain, but atypical antipsychotics appear promising in the treatment of mood disorders. Atypical antipsychotics have beneficial effects on depressed mood both in patients with major depressive disorder & in patients with bipolar disorder. In addition, data in patients with schizophrenia have demonstrated a significant improvement in the incidence of suicidal behaviour with clozapine compared with olanzapine. Electroconvulsive therapy appears to have an acute benefit on suicidality. (55 refs.)