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Can We Really Prevent Suicide?

  • Mood Disorders (SM Strakowski, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Every year, suicide is among the top 20 leading causes of death globally for all ages. Unfortunately, suicide is difficult to prevent, in large part because the prevalence of risk factors is high among the general population. In this review, clinical and psychological risk factors are examined and methods for suicide prevention are discussed. Prevention strategies found to be effective in suicide prevention include means restriction, responsible media coverage, and general public education, as well identification methods such as screening, gatekeeper training, and primary care physician education. Although the treatment for preventing suicide is difficult, follow-up that includes pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, or both may be useful. However, prevention methods cannot be restricted to the individual. Community, social, and policy interventions will also be essential.

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Acknowledgments

Research on this paper was supported by MH 48514 and the Conte Center for the Neurobiology of Suicidal Behavior MH 62185.

Disclosure

M. Schwartz-Lifshitz: none; G. Zalsman: none; L. Giner has received compensation for development of educational presentations from Servier, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Janssen, and GlaxoSmithKline; has received compensation for travel, accommodations, and meeting expenses from Servier, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Janssen, and GlaxoSmithKline; and has received compensation for development of a presentation from GlaxoSmithKline; M.A. Oquendo receives royalties for the use of the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale; has received financial compensation from Pfizer for the safety evaluation of a clinical facility, unrelated to the current manuscript; was the recipient of a grant from Eli Lilly to support a year’s salary for the Lilly Suicide Scholar, Enrique Baca-Garcia, MD, PhD; and has received unrestricted educational grants and/or lecture fees from AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Otsuko, Pfizer, Sanofi-Aventis, and Shire. Her family owns stock in Bristol-Myers Squibb.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geha Mental Health Center, Petach Tiqwa, Israel

    Maya Schwartz-Lifshitz

  2. Geha Mental Health Center, Petach Tiqwa, Israel and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Gil Zalsman

  3. Department of Psychiatry, University of Seville, Seville, Spain

    Lucas Giner

  4. New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Maria A. Oquendo

  5. Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Division/Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, Unit 42, New York, NY, 10032, USA

    Maria A. Oquendo

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  1. Maya Schwartz-Lifshitz
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  2. Gil Zalsman
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  3. Lucas Giner
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  4. Maria A. Oquendo
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Correspondence to Maria A. Oquendo.

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Schwartz-Lifshitz, M., Zalsman, G., Giner, L. et al. Can We Really Prevent Suicide?. Curr Psychiatry Rep 14, 624–633 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-012-0318-3

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