M. Wolfersdorf et al., HOMICIDE-SUICIDE ATTEMPTS BY DEPRESSED IN PATIENTS - FORENSIC AND THERAPEUTIC ASPECTS IN 3 CLINICAL CASES, Psychiatrische Praxis, 24(6), 1997, pp. 270-274
Despite of the frequency of depressive disorders among the population,
forensic aspects of depression are rare and usually focussed on suici
dal behaviour, especially the so-called homicide-suicide (homicide fol
lowed by suicide). Today therapeutic strategies are seen in the first
stage of dealing with depressed homicide-suicide attempters. Apart fro
m the question of guilt with regard to the homicidal act, the question
of recurrence of depression and the danger of a possibly repeated hom
icidal-suicidal behaviour are discussed in the light of three clinical
cases.