Suicidal Behaviour in Adolescent Psychiatric Population

Committed suicide is one of the most common causes of death in the adolescent population. The rate of adolescent suicides and suicidal attempts is a very fluent category, varying over time and between countries. Suicidal rate at the age 15 to 24 is 6.9 in Serbia, which is 66 deaths per year in absolute numbers. These alarming data about the frequency of suicidal attempts and committed suicides in the population of young people certainly call attention to the significance of identifying factors influencing suicidality in youth. Current suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts, poor psychosocial functioning and recommendation for psychiatric treatment are associated with higher suicide rate and mortality. Global statistics say that 90% of young people who committed suicide had at least one psychiatric disorder. Association of psychiatric disorders and suicidal behaviour in young people is very strong. Typical for adolescent population are multiple suicidal attempts. Persons working with hospitalised adolescents should pay constant attention to possible expression of various forms of suicidal behaviour.