title: Improvement and recovery from suicidal and self-destructive phenomena in treatment-refractory disorders.
abstract: Long-term data about recovery from suicidal and self-destructive phenomena are limited. We examined these phenomena in a naturalistic, follow-along study of 226 adults with treatment-refractory disorders admitted at the Austen Riggs Center. Follow-along interviews systematically rated suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, self-mutilation, and other self-destructive phenomena. We identified vital status in 98.7%, finding 1 death by suicide. Among 79 who made at least 1 suicide attempt in the 6 months before admission, 61 (77.2%) were estimated to be free of suicidal acts by a median of 7.18 years. Self-mutilation and other self-destructive phenomena showed slightly longer times to recovery. Among 156 individuals with suicidal ideation, 79 (50.6%) attained sustained recovery at a median of 8.69 years. On average 2.9 to 5.2 years were required from the last observed self-destructive event to attain sustained recovery. Most participants showed significant improvement in suicidal phenomena, whereas between 50.6% and 77.2% attained sustained recoveries.
authors.affiliation: The Austen Riggs Center, Stockbridge, Massachusetts 02162-0962, USA. jchristopher.perry@mcgill.ca
authors.forename: J Christopher
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: J Christopher
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: A Jill
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Clemence
authors.forename: Eric M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Plakun
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zheutlin
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Speanburg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012652:Self Mutilation; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017211:Treatment Failure; D055815:Young Adult