The trajectory of suicidal behavior over time

Some empirical work on genetic and prenatal factors in suicidality is presented. These factors may represent enduring predispositions that comprise risk for initial as well as later suicidal behavior. The existence of enduring predispositions does not preclude the possibility, however, that initial suicidal behavior sets processes into motion that spur later suicidal behavior. Based on past conceptual and empirical work, I suggest two psychological processes--cognitive sensitization and opponent processes--that may partly explain the link between past and future suicidal behavior.