Opioid addiction and suicidality.
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.
Krausz
M
M
Psychiatric Clinic, University Hospital Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. haasen@uke.uni-hamburg.de
Degkwitz
P
P
Haasen
C
C
Verthein
U
U
D000328:Adult; D003061:Codeine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D003061:Codeine