Suicide and mental illness
People with severe mental illness are at a higher risk of suicide, than people who do not have mental health problems.
Treatment in a psychiatric hospital does not necessarily decrease the likelihood of suicide. Research has shown that often people on the start of the climb to recovery show an increased risk of suicide.
This increased risk of suicide is thought to occur when treatment starts taking action and the person begins to realise what has happened to them, and what ther illness means for their future. This increased risk occurs up to four weeks after being discharged from hospital.
Some treatments can act to prevent suicidality in people with mental illness.
Both lithium therapy and treatment with the antipsychotic clozapine have been found to reduce the likelihood of suicide.
Lithium
is given to patients with manic depression or sometimes borderline personality disorder.
Clozapine
is given to people with psychotic symptoms suffering from illnesses such as schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. You could enquire about the possible use of these drugs if you are worried about the suicidal tendencies in someone you care for.
