The Suicide Risk Heading in DSM-5: Promising Start or Flubbed Launch?

The text of DSM-5 includes a new heading—Suicide Risk—meant to educate users about the suicide risk posed by specific mental disorders. But, how well do the Suicide Risk sections fulfill their didactic intent? A review of the sections shows that topical coverage is uneven, noteworthy disorders are omitted, and there are inaccurate statements. In addition, the text frequently uses pejorative terms for suicidal behavior and self-injury. Although the DSM-5 Task Force should be lauded for giving concentrated attention to psychiatry’s most lethal outcome, DSM-5 has limited utility for educating students about the suicide risk posed by mental disorders. I make four recommendations to improve the manual’s focus on suicide risk and redress the use of stigmatizing terminology.