A family history of suicide has been linked to increased suicide risk for people with many mental health disorders. However, for individuals with bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, having a relative who ended their own life may increase their risk of suicide by as much as three times.
Researchers at Spain's University of Barcelona examined 374 individuals receiving outpatient care for bipolar disorder type I or II or the bipolar subtype of schizoaffective disorder. Forty-eight of these patients had one or more members who had successfully completed suicide. When compared to other subjects, these patients had far higher rates of Cluster C personality disorders, personality disorders marked by anxiety or fear. More than twice as many of these patients, 52.2 versus 25.5 percent of subjects without a family history of suicide, had attempted suicide at some point in their lives.
Prior research examining only medical records has found a similar relationship between family history and suicide risk in bipolar patients. These findings further emphasize the need to identify patients with a family history of suicide in order to maximize prevention efforts.
ABSTRACT: Relevance of Family History of Suicide in the Long-Term Outcome of Bipolar Disorders
del.icio.us |
digg |
FURL |
Netscape |
reddit |
Stumble! |
My Web
