According to psychological research on stress and suicide, the risk of suicide is greatest when people:

• A. are surrounded by a strong social support network
• B. begin to rebound from depression and regain energy
• C. are at the lowest point of their depressive episode
• D. have never experienced any symptoms of depression

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the context of the problem: It relates to psychological research on stress and suicide risk, specifically focusing on when the risk is greatest during depressive episodes.
2. Recall key psychological findings: Research shows that suicide risk is often highest not when individuals are at their lowest mood, but when they start to regain energy and motivation after a depressive episode.
3. Analyze each option: Consider why being surrounded by social support might reduce risk, why the lowest point of depression might not be the highest risk, and why having no symptoms of depression would logically imply low risk.
4. Focus on the critical insight: The increased energy during the rebound phase can enable individuals to act on suicidal thoughts that were present but unacted upon during the lowest mood phase.
5. Conclude that the greatest risk period is when individuals begin to rebound from depression and regain energy, as this aligns with psychological research findings on suicide risk.