[Causes, diagnosis and treatment of suicidality]

In Germany, each year more than 11,000 people commit suicide. Rates of attempted suicide are estimated to be tenfold higher. Psychosocial as well as biological causes play an important role in the etiology of suicidality. Patients suffering from affective disorders, alcohol and drug abuse, and psychotic disorders are considered to be the most important high-risk groups. Careful diagnosis of suicidality is a precondition for successful therapy. Acute treatment is based on psychopharmacological as well as on psychotherapeutic strategies. In the case of acute danger, short-term goals consist in gaining time and actively providing direct support. In the long run, treatment of the underlying psychiatric disorder and stabilisation of the daily life situation become more important. There is no scientific evidence for the hypothesis that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) increase the risk of suicide.