Here's What The Warning Signs Of Suicide Look Like

What are the warning signs of suicide? Of course, they're typically not cut and dry, but depression or signs of certain risky behaviors may indicate the first indicators leading up to a problem.

Based on researcher conducted by the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ENCP), attempted suicides are preceded by certain behaviors including impulsiveness, depression and agitation. Those who have observed significant depression in individuals, along with signs of reckless driving, pacing around the room and no regard for their consequence of actions likely have a 50 percent chance of committing suicide. And from these, other warning signs make things a bit more complicated. It's individuals in a limbo between both depression and excitation or mania who are more likely to commit suicide than those who are just suffering from depression alone, according to lead study author Dr. Dina Popovic who is also a psychiatrist from the Hospital Clinc de Barcelona in Spain.

In this recent study, researchers reviewed over 2,800 patients suffering from depression as part of the international study called BRIDGE-II-MIX for the Suicide Prevention Day in September. In the group of patients, 628 had attempted suicide, with most exhibiting signs of mixed depression, irritability and anxiety, along with some levels of polarity.

Researchers have also discovered that in accordance with standard mental health guidelines, individuals at risk cannot be easily identified because they used their own methods, they have been able to show 40 percent of the patients to be at risk while the standard only identified 12 percent of the individuals.

Researchers ask that psychiatrists evaluate an individual's family history, treatments and how well they have scored by using the Global Assessment of Functioning scale. This test can rate an individual's ability to function well in work, social and individual settings.

"It has long been known that those patients with depression who also experience anxiety and/or agitation are more likely to attempt or complete suicide," said Dr Donald Malone, chair of psychiatry and psychology at the Cleveland Clinic, in a news release. 

"Assessing these symptoms in every depressed patient we see is extremely important, and has immense therapeutical implications," added study lead author Dr Dina Popovic, of the Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, in Spain, concluded. 

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