[Suicidal tendencies, a disorder that crosses boundaries between disciplines].
BACKGROUND
Suicidality is considered to be a facultative symptom of certain psychiatric disorders.


OBJECTIVE
To provide evidence in support of the view that suicidality is not only a symptom of other disorders or comorbid with them but is often a disorder in its own right.


METHODS
We conducted a review of the literature.


RESULTS
Suicidality manifests itself as a disorder in its own right without any one-to-one relationships with other psychiatric or somatic disorders or illnesses.


CONCLUSIONS
Suicidality has specific features of its own such as susceptibility to interindividual contagion. By preventing suicide we may be able to forestall the development of other types of ill-health and thus improve the quality of the life that has been saved.
Neeleman
J
J
Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht.
De Groot
M H
MH
D000367:Age Factors; D015897:Comorbidity; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D011788:Quality of Life; D012737:Sex Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*; D000092864:Suicide Prevention