Citation

Mehlum L. Psychiatr. Danub. 2006; 18(Suppl 1): 76.

Affiliation

Prof. Lars Mehlum, Suicide Research and Prevention Unit, University of Oslo, Sognsvannsveien 21, Bygg 20, 0320 Oslo, Norway. lars.mehlum@medisin.uio.no.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Facultas Universitatis Studiorum Zagrabiensis - Danube Symposion of Psychiatry)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16963984

Abstract

Among the many different negative life events commonly associated with an increased risk of suicidal behaviour, exposure to traumatic stress with their associated traumatic stress syndromes are often overlooked in suicidal groups since they are usually not the presenting complaint or they belong to the patient's past. Post-traumatic stress responses with their secondary ill-effects may be caused by brief or single overwhelming events such as disasters, violent assault, rape, terrorism or acts of war. Manifest and enduring symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are usually only seen in those who have been exposed to particularly severe traumatisation or who have been more vulnerable, but frequently lead to additional severe secondary problems such as affective disorders (more than 50% comorbidity), substance abuse and social and relational problems. These are all conditions or disorders leading to an increased the risk of suicidal behaviour, which has indeed been observed in a number of studies of traumatized groups. Examples of the second type of traumatic stress exposure - the long-lasting or chronic traumatisation - are prolonged childhood abuse, long-term battering relationships, combat experiences, concentration camp experiences and torture. These types of traumatic stress have the ability to create more complex clinical stress responses such as personality disturbances, dissociation, behavioural changes and self-destructive behaviour ranging from self-mutilation to completed suicide. In this lecture an update on research into the association between trauma and suicidal behaviour will be presented and implications for preventive work discussed.

Language: en