Speaker(s):
Presentation: In 2016, 45,000 Americans lost their lives to suicide (CDC Data). Since 1999, suicide rates have gone up by more than 30%. Mental illness is a known contributing factor to suicide. In clinical samples, about 50% of individuals with bipolar disorder were found to have a history of a suicide attempt. The rate of suicide attempts in those with bipolar disorder was twice that of individuals with unipolar depression. In this presentation, Dr. Dominic will review empirically researched risk factors associated with suicide in individuals with bipolar disorder. Specific symptoms and clinical presentations associated with risk of suicide will be discussed. Some of the risk factors include family history of suicide, early onset of bipolar disorder, rapid cycling, and abuse of alcohol and/or drugs. Dr. Dominic will discuss how to evaluate for these risk factors and the clinical application to preventing suicide in this population.
Objectives:
- Explain the prevalence of suicide in bipolar disorder
- Identify risk factors for suicide in bipolar disorder
- Describe how to assess for risk factors in bipolar disorder