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 with mood stabilizers, particularly lithium, substantially reduces the risk of attempts & suicides, even in this high-risk population. (68 refs.)