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NEWS EXTRA:
Jeanne Lenzer
FDA warns that antidepressants may increase suicidality in adults
BMJ 2005; 331: 70-b [Full text]
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Rapid Responses published:

[Read Rapid Response] The following characteristics of suicide
Sergio A Pérez Barrero   (8 July 2005)
[Read Rapid Response] Where to go from here
Dr Mohan Chawla   (11 July 2005)

The following characteristics of suicide 8 July 2005
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Sergio A Pérez Barrero,
Founder of the World Suicidology Net,
Founder of WPA Suicidology Section

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Re: The following characteristics of suicide

1.- Depression is not the only cause of suicide. For this reason suicide can be diminished by the reduction of mental health conditions other than depression.

2.- Many doctors call depression other conditions that are not depression. Depression is not well diagnosed, is not well treated, and suicide ideas are not well evaluated during suicidal crisis and many doctors do not know very well the key measures to avoid suicide act.

3.- Depression condition is an important cause of suicide. Depressive patients take antidepressive druggs when they are well treated. If they commit suicide is very common to found this antecedent.

4.- If in the psychology autopsy we do not found the antecedent of antidepressive treatment in suicidal patients with depression, they were badly treated by their doctors.

Competing interests: None declared
Where to go from here 11 July 2005
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Dr Mohan Chawla,
Consultant Psychiatrist
Kettering, NN15 7HH

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Re: Where to go from here

Suicide is an extremely complicated and still misunderstood event of human existence. It would take lot of courage for all of us to collectively accept that we still have not completely understood suicide. Having said that, I do not want to underestimate vast volume of work that has been done in this area.

If we accept that we have a long way to go in this area, then can we ask British Government to stop writing document saying 'Suicide prevention strategy' and rather say 'Suicide reduction strategy'. I believe that this would help us more in this area rather then putting everything on mental health professional. I know I am being greedy here by asking a big political change but I want people to think more honestly rather than politically correct.

Dr M Chawla

Competing interests: None declared