[Relief for surviving relatives following a suicide].
After the suicide of a 43-year-old woman with known depression, a 41-year-old paraplegic man who recently developed diarrhoea and a 41-year-old woman with probable depression with symptoms of psychosis, the general practitioners of the surviving relatives offered a sympathetic ear, answered questions and prescribed sedatives and/or follow-up counselling. Completed suicide occurs 1500 times each year in the Netherlands and is strongly associated with psychiatric morbidity as well as psychological features like hopelessness and inability to solve problems. Generally, this irreversible act ofdespair can lead to existential difficulties in surviving relatives. Following a loss, acceptance of reality is essential to initiating effective emotional processing. The general practitioner is often first and foremost involved in providing support and comfort to bereaved families, during which many questions about the cause of death are brought up. The general practitioner helps the family to reconstruct the rationale behind the suicide in order to initiate effective emotional processing. In addition, the general practitioner can assess the risk of psychiatric morbidity, including suicidal behaviour, in surviving relatives.
Oud
M J T
MJ
Gezondheidscentrum Lewenborg, Kombuis 174, 9732 GK Groningen. m.j.t.oud@knmg.nl
de Groot
M H
MH
D000328:Adult; D003376:Counseling; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010819:Physician's Role; D010821:Physicians, Family; D012307:Risk Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology