Abstract
There is an increase in rate of suicide in the past decades, which has become a burden to the family members and the society. So, it is the need of the hour to know the complete knowledge about the reason behind the suicide attempt. This study intends to study the recent stressful life event that has led the person to attempt for suicide. For this, 90 suicide attempters admitted in Rajah Muthiah Medical College Hospital is assessed with self-innovative proforma. Underlying psychiatric illness and substance abuse were also studied.
Results: Out of 90 subjects 23 (25.6%) had conflict with family members, 22 (24.4%) had interpersonal conflict with spouse and alcohol related issues in 13 (14.4%). Break up with friend and financial crisis were seen in 9 (10.0%) each. Other than that, physical illness in 4 (4.4%), education related issues in 3 (3.3%), loss of dear ones in 2 (2.2%) and other reasons in 5 (5.6%). Out of 90 subjects 70 (77.8%) has adjustment disorder, 16 (17.8%) has depressive disorders and 4 (4.4%) has bipolar affective illness. Out of 90 subjects 34 (37.8%) has alcohol dependent syndrome as comorbid illness.
Conclusion: With or without the major psychiatric illness and problem drinking of alcohol as the baseline problem, the recent stressful life event makes the person progress from suicidal ideation to suicide attempt. Alcohol plays a direct or indirect ( conflict with spouse / family members) role as major recent stressful life event. The future strategies for prevention of suicide should take these issues.
Keywords: suicide attempt, stress, life event.
References
- Liu BP, Zhang J, Chu J, Qiu HM, Jia CX, Hennessy DA. Negative life events as triggers on suicide attempt in rural China: a case-crossover study. Psychiatry Res. 2019 Jun;276:100-106. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2019.04.008. Epub 2019 Apr 4. PMID: 31035109.
- Paul E. Proximally-occurring life events and the first transition from suicidal ideation to suicide attempt in adolescents. J Affect Disord. 2018 Dec 1; 241: 499-504. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.08.059. Epub 2018 Aug 14. PMID: 30149338.
- Currier D, Spittal MJ, Patton G, Pirkis J. Life stress and suicidal ideation in Australian men - cross-sectional analysis of the Australian longitudinal study on male health baseline data. BMC Public Health. 2016 Oct 31;16(Suppl 3):1031. doi: 10.1186/s12889-016-3702-9. PMID: 28185591; PMCID: PMC5103247.
- Mann JJ, Waternaux C, Haas GL, Malone KM. Toward a clinical model of suicidal behavior in psychiatric patients. Am J Psychiatry. 1999 Feb;156(2):181-9. doi: 10.1176/ajp.156.2.181. PMID: 9989552.
- Stewart JG, Shields GS, Esposito EC, Cosby EA, Allen NB, Slavich GM, Auerbach RP. Life Stress and Suicide in Adolescents. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2019 Oct;47(10):1707-1722. doi: 10.1007/s10802-019-00534-5. PMID: 31028559; PMCID: PMC6717522.
- Van Orden KA, Witte TK, Cukrowicz KC, Braithwaite SR, Selby EA, Joiner TE Jr. The interpersonal theory of suicide. Psychol Rev. 2010 Apr; 117(2): 575-600. doi: 10.1037/a0018697. PMID: 20438238; PMCID: PMC3130348.
- Accidents and suicide deaths in India : NCRB 2018 report https://ncrb.gov.in/ en/accidental-deaths-suicides-in-india
- Vadlamani LN, Gowda M. Practical implications of Mental Healthcare Act 2017: Suicide and suicide attempt. Indian J Psychiatry. 2019 Apr;61(Suppl 4):S750-S755. doi: 10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_116_19. PMID: 31040468; PMCID: PMC6482674.
- Dandona R, Bertozzi-Villa A, Kumar GA, Dandona L. Lessons from a decade of suicide surveillance in India: who, why and how? Int J Epidemiol. 2017 Jun 1;46(3):983-993. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyw113. PMID: 27255440.
Corresponding Author
Dr Jayaraman S
Postgraduate, Department of Psychiatry, Rajah Muthiah Medical College and Hospital, Annamalai University, Chidambaram, Tamilnadu
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v8i10.49
