title: The management of patients at risk for suicide.
abstract: The management of suicidal patients with recurrent mood disorder involves a comprehensive clinical and psychosocial evaluation. This will determine treatment strategies including: acute care; continuation and prophylactic therapy with drugs; psychological treatment (including education to patients and their families). Risk factors for suicide and parasuicide are evaluated including: demography; psychosocial factors; personality characteristics; clinical characteristics; evaluation of preceding clinical state; seasonality. Treatment of the underlying illness is the most powerful method of preventing suicide. Reference will be made to the recent National Institute of Mental Health Collaborative Studies on the value of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy in the long-term management of mood disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 17666, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Abou-Saleh