Am J Psychiatry 1988; 145:849-852
Copyright © 1988 by American Psychiatric Association
Effect of psychosis on suicide risk in 1,593 patients with unipolar and bipolar affective disorders
DW Black, G Winokur and A Nasrallah
Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City.
The authors report suicide risk among 1,593 patients with major depression
or bipolar disorder, 443 (27.8%) of whom were psychotic (260 bipolar and
183 unipolar). The subjects were followed for 0-14 years, and their suicide
experience was compared with that of the state population. Eight (19.5%) of
the 41 suicide victims were from the psychotic group. The psychotic and
nonpsychotic subjects in each diagnostic group had similar risks for
suicide. A higher risk for suicide was not found in the bipolar subjects.
The authors conclude that among patients with major affective disorder
psychosis per se does not predispose to suicide.
