suicide

Question 1

what are the triad risk for suicide?

Answer 1

1. ideation
2. intention
3. plan

Question 2

Epidemiology/demographic of suicide

Answer 2

Rate in United States 12/100,000
Overall rate has stayed constant for the past 40 years; however rate has increased 2-3x in ages 15-24 (while decreasing in elderly)
>600,000 attempts per year with >30,000 successful (compare to 20,000 homicides)
Medico-legally, is a rare event…
It is symptom/complication of many psychiatric disorders
Some of our treatment may increase the risk (antidepressants, antipsychotics, stimulants, epilepsy meds/mood stabilizers
Almost always due to mental illness (95%), usually depression
11th leading cause of death in US – midpoint for international rates
Scandinavia, Japan, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and Eastern European countries have rates 2x that of US
Spain, Italy, Ireland, Egypt and the Netherlands have lower rates (10 per 100,000)
Globally, most common method is hanging

Question 3

Age of suicide

Answer 3

1. Children – Suicide is rare before puberty
   Adolescents (15-19 y/o) - 3rd leading cause of death
   1-2 million suicides annually
   1st – accidents, 2nd – homicide
   Occurs in clusters (teens tend to do what other teens do)
2. Adults – rate increases substantially after 55y/o
3. Elderly – decreases for women, increases for men
   Attempt suicide less often than younger persons but are usually more successful
4. Elderly are only 10% of the population but account for 25% of the suicides

Question 4

Gender of Suicide

Answer 4

1. Women attempt 4x as much as men
   Usually use less lethal means such as overdose
2. Men are successful 3x as much as women
   Tend to use more violent means such as firearms, hanging, or jumping from high places

Question 5

how frequent is the successful suicide in the US every year?

Answer 5

more than 30,000 (compare to 20,000 homicide)

Question 6

suicide is almost always due to

Answer 6

mental illness (95%) usually depression