Explaining Suicide: The Views of Survivors of Serious Suicide Attempts

1996 ◽  
Vol 168 (6) ◽  
pp. 780-786 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian O'Donnell ◽  
Richard Farmer ◽  
José Catalán

BackgroundThere is a dearth of information on the motivational aspects of serious suicide attempts, in particular those which involve violent methods. Clarification of the reasons which lie behind such acts may suggest appropriate preventive strategies.MethodInterviews were carried out with 20 individuals who had attempted suicide by jumping in front of a railway train. Demographic and psychiatric data were collected for each case and the Suicidal Intent Scale was administered.ResultsIn most cases the act had been impulsive and was characterised by an extremely high level of suicidal intent. The majority were receiving psychiatric treatment at the time of their suicide attempt. In some cases, survival and the aftermath of the attempt appeared to have a beneficial effect on mental state.ConclusionsWhile high levels of psychiatric morbidity and high suicidal intent were common, impulsivity and improved mental state indicate that there are similarities between high and low suicide intent survivors.

Crisis ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 209-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merete Nordentoft ◽  
Jacob Branner

The objective was to examine gender differences in choice of method and suicidal intent among persons referred to a suicide prevention center. A total of 351 consecutive patients who had attempted suicide were interviewed using the European Parasuicide Study Interview Schedule I (EPSIS I) while participating in a 2-week inpatient treatment program. They were invited to a 1-year follow-up interview, and followed in the National Patient Register. Compared to women, men who had attempted suicide were older, had better self-esteem, fewer depressive symptoms, and higher total suicidal intention scores, but they were not more likely to use violent methods. Neither use of violent method nor dangerousness of the attempt was associated with suicidal intention. Although men had higher suicide intent scores than women, there were no significant gender differences in the number of repeat suicide attempts during a 1-year follow-up period. Suicidal intent was not related to dangerousness of suicide method.


Crisis ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 282-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vikas Menon ◽  
Shivanand Kattimani ◽  
Manohar Kant Shrivastava ◽  
Harichandrakumar Kottyen Thazath

Background: Intent in attempted suicide is considered an indicator of subsequent suicide. Few studies in developing countries have examined correlates of suicidal intent among young adults. Aims: This study aimed to assess the intent score among a sample of young suicide attempters from South India and to identify the factors associated with suicide intent among them. Method: The clinical charts of 64 consecutive subjects aged 15–24 years attending emergency services for attempted suicide were reviewed. All participants completed a semistructured proforma, the Presumptive Stressful Life Events Scale, the Beck Hopelessness Scale, the Pierce Suicide Intent Scale, and the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale. Psychiatric diagnoses were made according to the ICD-10 clinical descriptions and diagnostic guidelines. Results: The intent scores were in the moderate-to-high range for most subjects. Suicide intent score significantly varied depending on the presence or absence of psychiatric morbidity. In bivariate analysis, psychiatric morbidity and hopelessness correlated positively with suicide intent, and in linear regression, hopelessness emerged as a predictor of suicide intent. Conclusion: A high intent of suicide in young is associated with psychiatric morbidity and presence of hopelessness. Hopelessness may be a key predictor of suicidal intent. Assessment of suicidal intent and hopelessness among young attempters is important and may help identify high-risk individuals who need intensive interventions.


Author(s):  
Ramanujam G ◽  
Abdul Rahuman ◽  
R. Mahalakshmi

Background: This is a study aimed at assessing the prevalence of major depressive disorder among persons who attempted suicide.Methods: The study involved 30 persons above 18years of age of both sexes who has attempted suicide in the recent past. An informed consent was obtained from all of them. The prevalence of depression among those suicide attempters was studied based on major ICD- 10 depression inventory. Also, intent rating based on Beck’s suicide intent scale was done to assess the severity of suicide attempt. Questionnaire was given and the details were collected.Results: The prevalence of depression is estimated to be 20%. Regarding the suicidal intent, 13 cases (43.33%) showed high intent for suicide.Conclusions: Prevalence of depression is common among people who attempt suicide. Early diagnosis and intervention will reduce suicide attempts.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marine AMBAR AKKAOUI ◽  
Christine CHAN-CHEE ◽  
Karine LAAIDI ◽  
Gregory FIFRE ◽  
Michel LEJOYEUX ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction: The objective of this study was to examine the evolution of suicides and suicide attempts over the last 10 years in France. Methods: We analyzed the number of deaths by suicide and suicide attempts in metropolitan France (2009-2018) from French national databases, on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Seasonal variation in suicide rates was modeled using a cosinor function. Based on this model, we determined the association of suicides and suicide attempts with geographic characteristics, age, gender, means used and psychiatric disorders. Results: The number of suicides and suicide attempts decreased over the last ten years in France (mean decrease of 14.49% and 11.69% per year). We observed a significant and recurrent seasonal pattern of suicides and suicide attempts in France, with a peak in spring. The suicide and suicide attempt rates were higher in the northern departments of France. Suicides were more frequent for men (75%) and middle-age individuals (45-54 years old), while suicide attempts were more frequent for women (62%) and young adults and middle-age individual (15-19 and 40-49 years old). Nearly two-thirds of the patients who attempted suicide suffered from comorbid psychiatric disorders. Mood disorders was the most frequent comorbid psychiatric disorder (54%). Voluntary drug intoxication was the most common means of suicide attempt (80%), and hanging was the most common means of suicide (54%).Conclusion: The number of suicides and suicide attempts decreased in France over the last 10 years, with large and recurrent seasonal variations. These findings could be used to alert and adjust prevention policies, as well as developing preventive strategies such as chronotherapeutics.


Crisis ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jérôme Ottino

This paper deals with an inpatient unit that recently opened in Geneva, specializing in the treatment of patients aged 16-21 years who had attempted suicide or felt the desire to commit suicide. This particular center was established because of the significant weaknesses found in the provision of care to adolescents who had attempted suicide. Despite the growing interest of health workers in this area of study over recent years, the frequency of suicide among the young has not decreased and there are numerous recurrences of the suicide attempts. Further, all efforts to improve the adolescents' compliance with psychiatric treatment have failed to date. The number of drop-outs from treatment is still very high. Thus, the objectives of our inpatient unit are as follows: (1) to overcome initial resistance to treatment and to improve long-term compliance; (2) to decrease the number of recurrent attempts as a consequence of the above, thus increasing life expectancy; (3) to offer the adolescents who have tried (or have contemplated) committing suicide an improved quality of life, after first helping them overcome the suicidal crisis. To achieve these goals, the therapeutic team of the unit proposes short stays during which the work with the adolescents consists of a very intensive psychoanalytic-oriented crisis intervention. Numerous practical aspects of our therapeutic approach in the inpatient unit are related here in detail, always with reference to our theoretical hypothesis.


2021 ◽  
pp. 003022282110034
Author(s):  
Azam Farmani ◽  
Mojtaba Rahimianbougar ◽  
Yousef Mohammadi ◽  
Hossein Faramarzi ◽  
Siamak Khodarahimi ◽  
...  

The aim of this research was to conduct a risk assessment and management of psychological, structural, social and economic determinants (PSSED) in a suicide attempt. The sample consisted of 353 individuals who had a recorded history of suicidal attempt; and 20 professional individuals by purposive sampling method within a descriptive cross-sectional design. Worksheets for RAM and AHP were used for data collection in this study. The rate of suicide attempt was 7.21 per 100,000 population in this study. Analysis showed that depression and mental disorders; personality disorders; family problems; socio-cultural and economic problems; lack of awareness; and low level of education have a high level of risk for suicide attempts. Psychiatric and psychological services; awareness and knowledge of life skills; medical services to dysfunctional families; development of community-based planning for PSSED of suicide; and employment and entrepreneurship services may lower suicide attempt risk.


2006 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 396-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Slavko Ziherl ◽  
Bojan Zalar

AbstractObjective:All suicide attempts cannot predict suicide, therefore we examined those characteristics of suicide attempt which could most accurately predict completed suicide.Subject and methods:Subjects were all individuals registered as committed suicides (N = 16,522) or attempted suicides (N = 15,057) in the register of suicides of the Republic of Slovenia between 1970 and 1996. Log linear analysis of a frequency table was used to uncover relationship between categorical variables.Results:The model we found fit between variables: mode, number of repetitions and type, then between number of repetitions, type and gender, and between mode, type and gender.Discussion:The risk of suicide in those who previously attempted suicide is approximately 773 times higher than the risk of suicide without a previous suicide attempt. Those who attempt suicide by hanging (hanging being in Slovenia the most frequent mode of completed suicide) are at even greater risk to commit suicide.Conclusion:Our data suggests that clinicians should heighten their awareness that any suicide attempt can in some 20% predict suicide. Someone who has attempted suicide by hanging is at the highest risk of suicide.


1998 ◽  
Vol 22 (7) ◽  
pp. 424-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Joyce ◽  
Simon Fleminger

Those who attempt suicide by jumping often have a history of major psychiatric disorder, are left with a high level of physical and psychological morbidity and have a poor outcome. Services are failing this group in that national statistics may underestimate its size, and even when patients are in contact and are symptomatic and expressing suicidal intent before the incident many go on to jump. Care in hospital and preparation for follow up is uncoordinated.


1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 209-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. L. BEAUTRAIS ◽  
P. R. JOYCE ◽  
R. T. MULDER

Background. This study used a case–control design to examine the association between unemployment and risk of medically serious suicide attempt.Method. A sample of 302 individuals who made serious suicide attempts was contrasted with 1028 randomly selected community control subjects.Results. Individuals who made serious suicide attempts reported higher rates of current unemployment (OR=4·2) than control subjects. This association was similar for males and females. However, even before adjustment for confounding factors it was evident that exposure to unemployment made only a small contribution to suicide attempt risk. The population attributable risk for exposure to unemployment was 7·3%. After adjustment for antecedent childhood, family and educational factors the association between unemployment and risk of serious suicide attempt was reduced but remained significant (OR=2·1), suggesting that common antecedent factors made a large contribution to risks of both unemployment and serious suicide attempt. When both antecedent family and childhood factors, and psychiatric morbidity were taken into account, unemployment was not significantly related to risks of serious suicide attempt.Conclusion. The results of this study provide support for the contention that much of the association between unemployment and suicidal behaviour is non-causal, and reflects common or correlated factors that contribute to risks of both unemployment and suicidal behaviour. Any remaining association between unemployment and suicide attempt risk appears to arise from the correlation that exists between unemployment and psychiatric disorder.


2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (6) ◽  
pp. 552-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katelyn Kerr ◽  
Madeline Romaniuk ◽  
Sarah McLeay ◽  
Andrew Khoo ◽  
Michael T Dent ◽  
...  

Background: Military veterans have higher rates of suicidality and completed suicides compared to the general population. Previous research has demonstrated suicidal behaviour is higher in US combat veterans who are younger, suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety and score lower on measures of health. However, research on predictors of suicide for Australian veterans is limited. The aim of this study was to identify significant demographic and psychological differences between veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder who had attempted suicide and those with posttraumatic stress disorder who had not, as well as determine predictors of suicide attempts within an Australian cohort. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 229 ex-service personnel diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder who had attended a Military Service Trauma Recovery Day Program as outpatients at Toowong Private Hospital from 2007 to 2014. Patients completed a battery of mental health self-report questionnaires assessing symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, alcohol use, anger, depression, anxiety and quality of life. Demographic information and self-reported history of suicide attempts were also recorded. Results: Results indicated the average age was significantly lower, and the rates of posttraumatic stress disorder, anger, anxiety and depression symptoms were significantly higher in those veterans with history of a suicide attempt. Multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity, unemployment or total and permanent incapacity pension status significantly predicted suicide attempt history. Conclusion: Among a cohort of Australian veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder, psychopathology severity, unemployment and total and permanent incapacity status are significantly associated with suicidality. This study highlights the importance of early identification of posttraumatic stress disorder and psychopathology, therapeutic and social engagement, and prioritisation of tangible employment options or meaningful and goal-directed activities for veterans deemed unable to work.


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