S3 Guideline Dealing with Suicidality

In Germany, more than 9,000 people take their own lives every year. In addition, a high number of unreported suicide attempts can be assumed.

Suicidal ideation has many causes; it is a cross-diagnosis syndrome that must be countered with targeted prevention strategies in the outpatient and inpatient care of adults. However, a German-language treatment guideline is not available. The aim of the project is therefore to produce an S3 guideline that can contribute to reducing the number of suicides and suicide attempts. With regard to low-threshold services, a version of the guideline is planned that can be used to inform those affected as well as relatives and survivors.

Actors from the outpatient and inpatient psychiatric-psychotherapeutic care system, from other relevant specialist groups in medical care as well as from patient and family representatives will work together as a guideline group. The result of the project will be recommendations for action for different outpatient and inpatient care fields in order to lead to an improvement in the quality of care for suicidal persons.