Major depression and the risk of attempted suicide.
We examined the risk of attempted suicide in 100 inpatients during a major depressive episode. We hypothesized that patients who attempt suicide have a vulnerability for suicidal behavior independent of severity or duration of depression, manifested by suicide attempts early in the course of a depressive episode. The first 3 months after the onset of an MDE and the first 5 years after the lifetime onset of major depressive disorder represented the highest-risk period for attempted suicide, independent of the severity or duration of depression. Familial, genetic, early-life loss experiences and comorbid alcoholism may be causal factors.
Malone
K M
KM
Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Haas
G L
GL
Sweeney
J A
JA
Mann
J J
JJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D010553:Personality Development; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data