As soon as the emergency is resolved these medications should also cease, and be replaced by more optimal prescriptions for the diagnoses contrib- uting the most to motivating distress, e.g. antipsychotics, mood stabilizers or antidepressants. Victims with addictive histories will not be happy with anything except analgesics, hypnotics, uppers or anxiolytics and will complain until one of these is offered. The paradox is that it will make the person comfortable, but will reinforce suicidal behavior as a way of feeding the addiction. The risk for suicidal events is aggravated by addiction. The best prevention is to achieve immediate abstinence.
Suicide is a very human behavior,that remains difficult to ex- plain fully.
It is actuarially predictable for populations at risk, but can only be anticipated by human vigilance. Intervention with any one of these three has a preven- tion effect for the short term.