Psychiatric and Somatic Determinants of Suicide

Suicidal behaviour is closely connected with mental disorders. Virtually all mental disorders carry an increased risk of suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and suicide. Psychiatric disorder may be an almost necessary, yet insufficient, risk factor for suicide. About 90 per cent of individuals who attempt or commit suicide meet diagnostic criteria for a psychiatric disorder, most often mood disorder, substance use disorders, psychoses, and personality disorders. The risk of suicidal behaviour in anxiety disorders and eating disorders, both having strong comorbidity with depression, is often underestimated. Under-treatment, comorbidity, treatment non-compliance and poor adherence, as well as a high frequency of non-responders are common problems and challenges in the treatment of suicidal persons. On the other hand, there is growing evidence of lower risk of suicidal behaviour during closely monitored long-term treatment of suicidal patients, indicating that treatment adherence is an important factor in medical suicide prevention.