Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide
Suicide
DEFINITION
- The behavior of actively and intentionally ending one’s life
- Dimensions of suicidal behavior include intent and lethality.
- Intent consists of the desire to die, the degree of preparation, and the chance of discovery.
- Lethality is the physical harm resulting from a suicide attempt.
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Last updated: October 3, 2025
Citation
Felder, William, et al. "Suicide." Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide, The Johns Hopkins University, 2025. Johns Hopkins Guides, www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787021/all/Suicide.
Felder W, Young L, Esagoff AI, Nestadt P. Suicide. Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2025. https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787021/all/Suicide. Accessed October 8, 2025.
Felder, W., Young, L., Esagoff, A. I., & Nestadt, P. (2025). Suicide. In Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide. The Johns Hopkins University. https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787021/all/Suicide
Felder W, Young L, Esagoff AI, Nestadt P. Suicide [Internet]. In: Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide. The Johns Hopkins University; 2025. [cited 2025 October 08]. Available from: https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787021/all/Suicide.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
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T1 - Suicide
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AU - Young,Lisa,B.S., B.A
AU - Esagoff,Aaron,M.D.
AU - Nestadt,Paul,M.D.
Y1 - 2025/10/03/
BT - Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide
UR - https://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_Psychiatry_Guide/787021/all/Suicide
PB - The Johns Hopkins University
DB - Johns Hopkins Guides
DP - Unbound Medicine
ER -
