Are Patients With Depression at Heightened Risk of Suicide as They Begin to Recover?

It has long been taught & believed that patients with depression & suicidal tendencies are at heightened risk of suicide as they begin to recover & their energy & motivation return. This article examines this belief. Although no studies have tracked suicide along with symptomatic change in depression, recent large-scale studies of suicide & phase of treatment do not indicate that suicide is more likely to occur early in recovery than at other times. This idea of a particular period of risk, although intuitively plausible, remains to be substantiated. (12 refs.)