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Sucide accounts for nearly 30,000 deaths in the United States annually, and while it is sometimes characterized as a response to a single event or set of circumstances, it is almost always a complicaiton of a psychiatric illness. Mood disorders account for 60% of cases, with major depression being the most common. Researchers believe that both depression and suicidal behavior can be linked to decreased serotonin in the brain. Scientists have learned that serotonin receptors in the brain increase their activity in persons with major depression and suicidality which explains why selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs have been found effective in treating depression. Currently, studies are underway to examine to what extent medication like SSRIs can reduce suicidal behavior.