M. Driessen et al., PSYCHIATRIC CO-MORBIDITY, SUICIDAL-BEHAVIOR AND SUICIDAL IDEATION IN ALCOHOLICS SEEKING TREATMENT, Addiction, 93(6), 1998, pp. 889-894
Aims. To estimate the impact of co-morbid disorbers for suicidal ideas
in alcohol-dependent subjects seeking treatment. Design. Life-time ps
ychiatric co-morbidity and previous suicidal behaviours were assessed
retrospectively after detoxification (t1). In addition, suicidal behav
iours were assessed 12 months after discharge (t2). Setting. Art inpat
ient detoxification treatment unit. Participants. Two hundred and fift
y dependent inpatients were studied after detoxification. One hundred
and fory-nine of them participated in the follow-zip face-to-fare inte
rview. Measurements. Using two extended standardized interviews (CIDI
and IPDE) psychiatric co-morbidity (DSM-III-R, Axes I and II) was asse
ssed at t1; suicide attempts were reported at t1 and t2, and suicidal
ideas were assessed at t2. Findings. A history of suicide attempts was
reported by 29.2% at t1, and suicidal ideas by 14.1 % and suicide att
empts by 5.4% at the follow-up (t2). One female patient committed suic
ide within 6 months of discharge from hospital. The following co-morbi
dity patterns were associated with the greatest risk for suicidal idea
s. Anxiety and depressive disorders, Axes I and II disorders, and a hi
story of suicide attempt (for suicidal ideas at (t2). Conclusions. Our
results underline the importance of psychiatric co-morbidity for the
suicidal risk in alcohol-dependent patients, while alcoholism itself a
ppears to be only a moderate risk factor.