Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2026
05:14
Standardized Data Acquisition for Neuromelanin-Sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Substantia Nigra
Published on: September 8, 2021
Insight and suicidal behavior in first-episode schizophrenia
Ingrid Melle1, Elizabeth Ann Barrett
1Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Building 49, Oslo University Hospital-Ullevål, PO Box 4956, Nydalen, 0424 Oslo, Norway. ingrid.melle@medisin.uio.no
Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics
|February 28, 2012
Summary
Suicidal behavior is common in schizophrenia, especially early in the illness. Insight into the disorder significantly impacts suicide risk in patients with schizophrenia.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Suicidal behavior and suicide present a significant risk in schizophrenia, with a lifetime prevalence of approximately 5%.
- The risk is notably elevated during the early stages of schizophrenia, particularly around the initiation of treatment.
- Longer durations of untreated illness correlate with an increased risk of suicide attempts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing studies on the complex factors contributing to suicide risk in schizophrenia.
- To specifically examine the influence of patient insight on suicidal behavior in the early phases of schizophrenia.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies investigating suicide risk factors in schizophrenia.
- Analysis of research focusing on subjective patient experiences, including insight and beliefs about mental illness.
Main Results:
- Common risk factors for suicide in schizophrenia overlap with the general population, including prior attempts, impulsivity, substance abuse, depression, and hopelessness.
- Emerging research highlights the role of patients' subjective experiences, such as insight into their illness and beliefs about mental illness, in influencing suicidal behavior.
- Insight into having a severe mental illness is a key area of focus for understanding early-phase schizophrenia and suicide risk.
Conclusions:
- Suicide risk in schizophrenia is multifactorial, influenced by both general population risk factors and specific aspects of the patient's subjective experience.
- Insight into the illness appears to play a crucial role in modulating suicide risk, particularly in the early and untreated phases of schizophrenia.
- Further research into patient insight is warranted to develop targeted interventions for suicide prevention in schizophrenia.
More Related Videos
07:31Implementation of a Real-Time Psychosis Risk Detection and Alerting System Based on Electronic Health Records using CogStack
Published on: May 15, 2020
05:52Handwriting Analysis Indicates Spontaneous Dyskinesias in Neuroleptic Naïve Adolescents at High Risk for Psychosis
Published on: November 21, 2013
Related Concept Videos
01:29Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia, a complex psychiatric disorder, has been historically misunderstood. Early psychological theories attributed its origins to childhood trauma and unresponsive parenting. However, contemporary research largely rejects these notions, favoring the vulnerability-stress hypothesis. This model proposes that individuals with a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia may develop the disorder following exposure to significant environmental stressors. Notably, studies on high-risk...
01:17Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia, a term introduced by Swiss psychiatrist Eugen Bleuler in 1911, describes a severe psychological disorder marked by profound disruptions in attention, thought processes, language, emotion, and interpersonal relationships. The core feature of schizophrenia is psychosis — a state characterized by a fundamental detachment from reality. This disconnection manifests through distorted logic, impaired perception, and atypical behavior, severely affecting the lives of those diagnosed.
01:29Introspection
Introspection, long upheld as a reliable route to self-knowledge, involves examining one's thoughts, emotions, and mental processes. It underpins many psychological practices, from mindfulness meditation to psychotherapy and self-help strategies. However, empirical evidence challenges the accuracy of introspection as a means of understanding oneself.Limitations of Introspective InsightSeminal work by Nisbett and Wilson demonstrated that individuals are frequently unaware of the true causes...
01:29Biological Causes of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia, a severe psychiatric disorder, arises from a complex interplay of biological factors, including genetic predisposition, structural brain abnormalities, neurotransmitter dysregulation, and developmental irregularities. These factors collectively contribute to the onset and progression of the disorder, which typically manifests in late adolescence or early adulthood.
Genetic Factors in Schizophrenia
The genetic basis of schizophrenia is strongly supported by family and twin studies.
Genetic Factors in Schizophrenia
The genetic basis of schizophrenia is strongly supported by family and twin studies.
01:26Positive Symptoms Schizophrenia: Hallucinations and Delusions
Schizophrenia is a complex psychiatric disorder characterized by a range of symptoms that significantly impact cognition, behavior, and emotional regulation. Among these, the positive symptoms stand out as they involve the addition or exaggeration of normal mental functions, deviating markedly from typical behavior and perception. Hallucinations and delusions are prominent positive symptoms, each profoundly affecting the individual's experience of reality.
Hallucinations
Hallucinations in...
Hallucinations
Hallucinations in...
01:28Psychosis and Antipsychotic Drugs: Overview
The term "psychosis" refers to a spectrum of mental disorders characterized by abnormal thoughts, perceptions, and behaviors. It can manifest as mood disorders, dementia, delirium with psychotic features, substance-induced psychosis with psychotic features, brief psychotic disorder, delusional disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophrenia. Among all these disorders, schizophrenia is the most common psychotic disorder, affecting 1% of the worldwide population. Psychotic symptoms in all...