Characteristics of Opiate Dependent Patients Who Attempt Suicide

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Abstract
To describe the characteristics of opiate dependent patients who attempt suicide. Opiate dependent patients (DSM-IV criteria) who had (N = 105) or had not (N = 141) attempted suicide were compared for family history of suicide, childhood trauma, personality traits, and experience of comorbidity with cocaine and/or alcohol dependence, major depressive disorder. and physical disorder. Significantly more opiate dependent patients who had attempted suicide were female (p < .0001) and unemployed (p < .0006). Patients who had attempted suicide reported significantly more family history of suicide and more childhood trauma; scored significantly higher for introversion, hostility, and neuroticism; and had experienced significantly more comorbidity with lifetime cocaine and alcohol dependence, major depressive disorder, and current physical disorder (p < .05 for all). Suicidal behavior in opiate dependent patients may involve risk factors from the family, childhood, personality, psychiatric, and physical domains.

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