Spanish psychiatrists identify behavioural trait with suicide risk

SPANISH psychiatrists have identified a way of telling if a depressed patient is a suicide risk.

A study of more than 2,800 patients with depression found those who demonstrated signs of agitation, impulsive or ‘risky’ behaviour were 40% more likely to attempt suicide.

The author of the study, Dr Dina Popovic from the University of Barcelona, said symptoms of ‘excitation’ or ‘mania’ were also common in patients considered high risk.