Let's be more ambitious in treating suicide

Abstract

Suicide is a major public health problem. It becomes necessary and essential to identify persons at risk and to offer them an appropriate care. Entry in the DSM 5 of suicidal behavior (SB) as a disease to study is a first step in its recognition as an independent disease with its own physiopathology. Long time considered as a consequence or as a symptom of others psychiatric diseases, there is actually no specific treatment of SB. Nevertheless, new ways of understanding of mechanisms underlying SB are emerging and could consequently lead to find new specific therapeutics. Understanding the role played by psychological pain in SB seems to be a good approach to decipher the physiopathology of SB. Furthermore, we are witnessing the emergence of potential specific therapeutics such as ketamine that has shown promising results in treating SB.