Opioid Addiction and Suicidality
Abstract
The prevalence of suicide attempts among opioid addicts is reported to lie between 8% and 17%, with some studies reporting an even higher rate among special groups of addicts. Yet there is insufficient knowledge about which addicts have a higher risk of suicide and which other factors seem to be involved in the constellation leading to the suicide attempt; the study of different subgroups of addicts is thus necessary. This paper reports a study on suicide attempts among a sample population in a detoxification unit and another group undergoing codeine maintenance treatment. There was a high rate of suicide attempts among both groups (23% of those in the detoxification unit and 28% of those maintained on codeine), but treating physicians tended to underestimate suicidality. The results lead to the conclusion that among a subgroup of addicts suicidality plays a larger role; a greater emphasis should thus be placed on the underlying psychopathology and the treatment needed.
References
Homicide, suicide and accidental death among narcotic addicts. Human Pathology, (1972). 31, 91–95
Niedrigschwelliger Drogenentzug — Konzept, Erfahrungen, Konsequenzen. Deutsches Ärzteblatt, (1993). 90, 147–151
Niedrigschwelliger Drogenentzugs — Weichenstellung zur Schadensbegrenzung. In M Nowak, R Schifman, R Brinkmann (Eds) Drogensucht — Entstehungsbedingungen und therapeutische Praxis. Stuttgart New York: Schattauer (1994).
The San Diego Suicide Study: Substance abuse in young cases. Archives of General Psychiatry, (1986). 43, 962–965
Treated and untreated suicide attempts in substance abuse patients. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, (1988). 176, 289–294
Suicide and mortality amongst heroin addicts in Britain. British Journal of Addiction, (1967). 62, 391–398
Suicidality among opioid addicts: 2.5 year follow-up. American Journal of Drug, (&). Alcohol Abuse 1988; 14, 357–369
Substitutionsbehandlung von Heroinabhängigen mit codeinhaltigen Präparaten — Behandlungseffekte aus Sicht der Ärzte und Patienten. Psychiatrische Praxis, (1995). 22, 179–185
Suicide attempts in treated opiate addicts. Comprehensive Psychiatry, (1983). 79–89
Substance abuse and suicide: The San Diego Study. Annals of Clinical Psychiatry, (1989). 1, 79–85
Psychological autopsy of completed suicide in children and adolescents. American Journal of Psychiatry, (1985). 142, 1061–1064
Verhaltenstheoretisches Erklärungsmodell suizidalen Verhaltens. Regensburg: Roderer (1986).
Methadone therapy in Hamburg. European Addiction Research, (1995). 1, 99–105
Clinical depression among narcotic addicts maintained on methadone in the community. American Journal of Psychiatry, (1976). 133, 1434–1438