Citation

Nielssen OB, Large MM. Crisis 2011; 32(1): 37-42.

Affiliation

Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales at St. Vincent's Hospital, Darlinghurst, Sydney, Australia

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, International Association for Suicide Prevention, Publisher Hogrefe Publishing)

DOI

10.1027/0227-5910/a000058

PMID

21371969

Abstract

Background: Recent studies have reported that serious violence toward self and others is more common in the first episode of psychosis than after treatment. Aims: To estimate the proportion of survivors of potentially lethal suicide attempts with sharp objects who have a diagnosis of psychotic illness, and the proportion of those patients who had never received treatment for psychosis with antipsychotic medication. Methods: An audit of the medical records of patients from three major teaching hospitals in Sydney, Australia, who survived a self inflicted stab wound to the abdomen, torso, or a laceration to the neck. Results: The files of 95 survivors of self-inflicted wounds by cutting or stabbing who met the inclusion criteria for the study were examined. A psychotic illness was diagnosed in 46 cases (48%), of which 26 (57%) had never received treatment with antipsychotic medication and, hence, were in the first episode of psychosis. Conclusions: Psychosis is strongly associated with potentially lethal suicide attempts using sharp objects and patients who have never received treatment for psychosis appear to be at particular risk.

Language: en