Most cases of suicide (81%-95%) in the general population involve psychiatric illnesses, nearly half of which (48.5%) are mood disorders. Internationally, the overall average suicide rate has been rising gradually over the past half-century, with increases reported in about half of nations, mainly among men, and moderate decreases found in another half, including in Northern Europe and North America. This book reviews whether the use of antidepressants is associated with benefits in terms of completed or attempted suicide, whether the increasing use of SSRIs is associated with benefits in terms of decreased rates of suicide with the aim of generating evidence-based suggestions for clinicians.

This book discusses current research on the phenomenology of suicide, that is, to focus on suicide as a phenomenon affecting a unique individual with unique motives for the suicidal act. To explore this topic, the author looks at various contexts in order to understand in different perspectives. The search for suicide risk factors, variables that indicate an increased likelihood for suicide independent of diagnosis, has been undertaken by a number of researchers and clinicians. This book also explores psychiatric disorders and personality traits where a suicide risk is often underestimated. Moreover, the contribution by world leaders in the prevention of suicide makes this book a peculiar contribution to the understanding of suicide.

Suicide has been studied extensively but unfortunately still remains enigmatic and with a great gap from basic research. Personal views in regards to suicide from the people involved in suicide research and prevention are explored herein. This book presents and discusses thoughts about how one becomes involved in studying the enigmatic phenomenon of suicide. Serendipity, anecdotes, failures in preventing suicide and academic pathways are only a few items that can be identified when reading the essays included in this volume.

Cigarette smoking is associated with an increased risk for suicide. However, findings regarding this relationship are not yet consistent. Despite the fact that the prevalence of smoking is higher in suicidal individuals, it is not clear that smoking itself (or the effect of nicotine on brain function) is directly involved in suicidality or whether other factors associated with both suicide and smoking are implicated in this relationship. Indeed it has been found that several suicide risk factors are more common among current smokers than among those who have never smoked. This book examines the findings in regards to the increased risk in suicide among cigarette smokers.

The main purpose of this book is to provide the first comprehensive analysis of suicide in psychiatric patients. 95 per cent of those who commit suicide had a psychiatric disorder and yet suicide is rarely investigated in psychiatric patients. The book provides a relevant contribution to the prediction and prevention of suicide. This is a first book devoted to the subject with comprehensive chapters, including epidemiology, risk factors, preventive strategies and available treatments.

Why an entire volume on suicide in schizophrenia? It would appear that international literature already provides enough information in this field. Also, the daily growing number of papers on suicide among schizophrenic are certainly a more updated source of information may contribute to the reduction of deaths by suicide among these patients. Yet, as in the case of suicide as a whole, this progress of knowledge does not match with reduction of suicide rates, let alone reduction of suicide rates among people with schizophrenia. Maybe a summary, an overview that cannot be achieved with a simple Medline search may help those who are involved and those who should be involved in the prevention of self-killing of schizophrenic patients. This book, therefore, reports essays of some of the opinion leaders in the field with the aim to shed light to such overwhelming phenomenon.