Volume 27 Lesson 13

Legal Issues of Psychiatric Malpractice in Suicide Cases

Wendy Packman, JD, PhD, Gwynneth Smith, MS, JD, and Houri Andalibian, BA

Dr. Packman is Associate Professor and Director of the Joint JD-PhD Program in Psychology and Law, Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, Palo Alto, CA.

Ms. Smith is a Doctoral Candidate in the Joint JD-PhD Program in Psychology and Law, Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, Palo Alto, CA.

Ms. Andalibian is a Doctoral Candidate in the Joint JD-PhD Program in Psychology and Law, Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, Palo Alto, CA.

Editor's Note

Suicide ideation and suicide attempts are integral to mood disorders and approximately 15% of people with either unipolar or bipolar disorder will eventually commit suicide.

Although recent or acute anxiety is generally accepted as a risk factor for suicide, studies that examine the risk of suicide in people with anxiety disorders are relatively uncommon.

The authors provide a concise review of the various anxiety disorders and the relationship to suicide. They emphasize that patients with anxiety disorders are at increased risk for suicide in part because of the long delay between symptom onset and initial treatment.

Also, a high proportion of patients who do present to primary care clinics are not diagnosed, and if diagnosed, are not adequately treated, even by psychiatrists.

The lesson continues by reviewing the assessment of the suicidal patient and ends with a brief discussion of treatment strategies.

The authors have provided a thorough summary of current knowledge of anxiety disorders and suicide which serves as a valuable guide to clinicians.