Citation

Restek-Petrović B, Kezić S, Mihanović M, Grah M, Kamerman N, Mayer N. Socijalna Psihijatrija 2011; 39(1): 59-64.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Clinic for Psychiatry, University Hospital Centre Zagreb and School of Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Suicide of a patient is a risk in psychiatric profession. Every loss of a patient is painful and traumatic for the therapists and personnel providing care of the patient, as well as for other patients treated along with him and sympathizing with him. The reaction of mourning in the personnel and patients after suicide of a patient diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is described. The suicide occurred on the open ward with psychotherapeutic and sociotherapeutic program, which mainly included PTSD patients, mostly war veterans, and other war victims with a minor number of patients with other various diagnostic categories. The processes of creating group cohesion in median and small groups, and activities of therapeutic community are also described. A safe atmosphere of basic trust provided conditions that allowed for verbalization of feelings and beginning of the traumatic story re-enactment. Organizing the 'commemorative ceremony' on the ward offered the socio-cultural framework in which the loss was shared and processed together with family members of the deceased patient in a socially acceptable way, and with the ward personnel who took the role of extended family.

Language: hr

Keywords

human; suicide; Suicide; family; psychotherapy; veteran; Posttraumatic stress disorder; posttraumatic stress disorder; mourning; article; health program; hospital patient; psychosocial care; social class; Mourning; verbalization; Sociotherapy; Inpatient group psychotherapy