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Nomenclature and Definition of Suicidal Behavior

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Understanding Suicide

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Abstract

Today we understand suicidal behavior as a spectrum of actions and thought processes. This framework is the result of centuries of thought and study on the subject. This chapter will provide a historical context for attempts to classify and understand the various manifestations of suicidal behavior. This chapter traces the evolution of the study of suicidal behavior from the first appearances of the word “suicide” in text up to the present state of our conceptualization. Various models for classifying suicidal behavior will be described. This chapter aims to provide the reader with a thorough understanding of both the historical and the contemporary definitions of the terms suicidal behavior, suicide, suicide attempt, and suicidal ideation. The impact of the theories of a diverse group of thinkers will be discussed, especially the framework described in the DSM-5. Multiple contemporary and historic diagnostic criteria will be described, as well as the intersections of suicidal behavior and other mental disorders.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge Samuel Aidan Kelly for his help in editing this chapter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, University of Seville, Seville, Spain

    Lucas Giner MD, PhD & Julio A. Guija MD, PhD

  2. Service of Psychiatry, Institute of Legal Medicine of Seville, Seville, Spain

    Julio A. Guija MD, PhD

  3. Emergency Medical Services Department, New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA

    Christopher W. Root BA

  4. Department of Psychiatry, Jimenez Diaz Foundation, Autonoma University, IIS, CIBERSAM, Madrid, Spain

    Enrique Baca-Garcia MD, PhD

  5. Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA

    Enrique Baca-Garcia MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Lucas Giner MD, PhD
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  2. Julio A. Guija MD, PhD
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  3. Christopher W. Root BA
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  4. Enrique Baca-Garcia MD, PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lucas Giner MD, PhD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Academic Hospital of Montpellier, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France

    Philippe Courtet

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Giner, L., Guija, J.A., Root, C.W., Baca-Garcia, E. (2016). Nomenclature and Definition of Suicidal Behavior. In: Courtet, P. (eds) Understanding Suicide. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26282-6_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26282-6_1

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