The authors studied 954 psychiatric patients with major affective
disorders and found that nine clinical features were associated with
suicide. Six of these--panic attacks, severe psychic anxiety, diminished
concentration, global insomnia, moderate alcohol abuse, and severe loss of
interest or pleasure (anhedonia)--were associated with suicide within 1
year, and three others--severe hopelessness, suicidal ideation, and history
of previous suicide attempts--were associated with suicide occurring after
1 year. These findings draw attention to the importance of 1) standardized
prospective data for studies of suicide, 2) assessment of short-term
suicide risk factors, and 3) anxiety symptoms as modifiable suicide risk
factors within a clinically relevant period.
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