Persons who attempt suicide - social characteristics, social network and significant others

A suicide attempt is one of the most powerful predictors of eventual suicide. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the social situation, including social support of suicide attempters. One part of the investigations concerned patients admitted to a psychiatric ward following a suicide attempt. Another part concerned significant others (SOs) of suicide attempters, interviewed directly after the suicide attempt and at follow-up one year later. Overall the patients rated their social networks to be weak and patients with dysthymia rated their social support as less satisfactory compared with patients with major depressive disorders. Relationship and vocational problems were common. More than half of the admitted patients (72/126) reported overconsumption of alcohol (47%) or sedatives (10%). Over-consumers of alcohol were comparatively younger, less often married/cohabiting and had a weaker social network. Half of the admitted patients (80/156) reported treatment of psychiatric disorders or suicidal behaviour of their parents. These patients were younger, had more often previously received psychiatric treatment, and had more often a diagnosis of dysthymia. They scored higher on KSP temperament ratings on anxiety and lower on ratings of socialization than other patients. SOs added valuable information to the assessment of the patient directly after the suicide attempt. At follow-up, SOs reported that a majority of the patients had psychiatric or other (mostly relationship) problems. Few SOs had been informed or involved in the patients´ treatment, which most of them had wanted. Nearly half of the SOs would like to have been offered professional counselling, preferably shortly after the suicide attempt. The social situation of suicide attempters treated as in-patients was often strained. Especially overconsumers with dysthymia and patients with parental psychiatric disorders seem to be socially vulnerable and in need of social intervention. SOs need information and support after a suicide attempt