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As we reported yesterday (Related) , a new study has discovered that in the first month of treatment, suicide attempts decrease. No matter what the treatment — antidepressant drugs or psychotherapy:
Suicide attempts were most likely during the month before treatment started, falling by at least 50 percent in the month after treatment began, with steady declines thereafter.
This passes the smell test, since we would expect most people to be most depressed leading up to their decision to finally seek treatment. It also makes sense that, immediately after beginning treatment (e.g., one month), people feel better. Just talking to someone and taking the proactive measure of getting help makes a person feel better often, even if the same depressive symptoms (Related) are still present.
The people most likely to attempt suicide were those being seen by a psychiatrist. The researchers attribute this to the fact that psychiatrists tend to see more severe cases of depression, while less severe cases are often just handled by a family doctor.
I could buy that rationale, but in truth, the study doesn’t answer the question as to why more people who see psychiatrists attempt suicide. That is an excellent question for a future study, however.
Furious Seasons also comments (Related) .
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July 3rd, 2007 at 10:59 am
Typically the greatest risk of suicide isn’t when depression is at it’s peak, it’s after the inital period of improvement following alleviation of symptoms by treatment. Depressives who commit suicide are often afraid their condition will worsen and the severe depression they just experienced will return. This is why clinicians should be on the alert for suicide risk even if the patient is responding well to treatment. Especially if they appear to improve overnight.
July 4th, 2007 at 3:14 am
I agree with Romeo. The thought of experiencing again the same sufferings caused by depression is terrifying on their part. With that thought, suicide wouldn’t be far from their minds.
July 4th, 2007 at 8:55 pm
I disagree. I don’t think there is an improvement if the patient has suicide on his/her mind. I think their thoughts of committing suicide suggests that it has become worse because depressed patients could have thought about suicide even before they were treated.
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Other posts by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. (Related) Talk Therapy Succeeds in Reducing Suicide Risk - New York Times (Related) Mothers’ suicide attempts raise risk in teens (Related) Current Daily Smoking May Be Associated With Increased Risk For Suicidal Thoughts And Attempts (Related) Cognitive Therapy Halves Risk of Second Suicide Attempt (Related) The Suicide Bridge (Related)
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