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Suicide is a major public health problem and cause of death, as well as years of life lost. The US suicide rate is at its highest level in over 15 years, and has become an epidemic in both our military forces and veterans of military service. (American Foundation for Suicide prevention). At present there is no evidence that suicide is clinically predictable in an individual, even though the standard of care requires that suicide risk be assessed in psychiatric patients, who show an elevated risk in general, and clinical efforts be made to reduce risk. Clinical prediction may be improved in a number of suggested ways, which could lead to more effective short-term prevention. While at present, there is no evidence that short term (2–3 months) treatment can prevent suicide, there is evidence from long-term studies that maintaining maintenance medication can reduce suicide in high risk patients.

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-09964-4_8

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