Subject(s)
Health , Public Health , Social Environment , Suicide/epidemiology , Urban Health , Germany, West , HumansSubject(s)
Cultural Characteristics , Culture , Longevity , Religion and Medicine , Adult , Aged , Humans , Male , Middle AgedSubject(s)
Adjustment Disorders/psychology , Divorce , Adult , Alcoholism/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , Psychophysiologic Disorders/psychologySubject(s)
Divorce , Mental Disorders/etiology , Alcoholism/etiology , Depression/etiology , Female , Humans , Male , Paraphilic Disorders/etiology , Prognosis , Risk , Schizophrenia/etiology , SuicideABSTRACT
100 records of divorced inpatients were compared with 100 records of married inpatients after having been matched according to sex, age, and social background. Almost 50% of the divorced patients were hospitalized within the first year after their divorce, i.e, this is the period which should be concentrated on when taking preventive measures. The most frequent duration of the marriage was between 5 to 10 years whereas in the population it was only between 3 and 5 years. This suggests that divorces after only a few years of marriage do not have such traumatic effects. The diagnoses of psychopathic personality, alcohol and drug dependence, attempted suicide and neurotic and reactive depressions were more frequently made with divorced that with married patients. Affective psychosis and cerebral-organic illnesses, however, were not so often found. The divorced patients being hospitalized within the first year after their divorce could be divided into two subgroups. The first subgroup comprised patients with frequent diagnosis of personality disorders and attempted suicide who were hospitalized for the first time after their divorce and needed only a short-term stay in hospital. In the second subgroup were patients who had already been hospitalized before their divorce - frequently with the diagnosis of schizophrenia -; that means they became recidivous after their divorce and needed a long-term stay in hospital. Social problems were especially relevant with divorced patients.
Subject(s)
Divorce , Mental Disorders/etiology , Adaptation, Psychological , Female , Hospitals, Psychiatric , Humans , Male , Mental Disorders/psychology , Risk , Sex FactorsABSTRACT
In order to estimate the period of highest suicidal risk in widowed persons, the intervals between bereavement and death for 58 widowers and 91 widows who had committed suicide were compared with those for a control group of 110 widowers and 210 widows who had died from other causes. Suicides were found to be more closely related in time to the bereavement than were other causes of death. Men were found to be at highest risk of suicide shortly after bereavement, over one-quarter of the male suicide having occurred in the first six months of widowerhood. These findings provide guidance to the assessment of suicidal risk, and so to possible preventive measures.
Subject(s)
Marriage , Suicide/psychology , Aged , Female , Grief , Humans , Loneliness , Male , Middle Aged , Risk , Sex Factors , Time FactorsABSTRACT
The interval between divorce and suicide in 66 divorced men and 42 divorced women was compared with the interval between divorce and death from other causes in a control group of 87 divorced men and 93 divorced women. The interval between divorce and death was shorter on average for the suicide group than for the control group. Among men, the risk for suicide was especially great in the first half year after divorce.
Subject(s)
Divorce , Suicide , Death , Female , Humans , Male , Risk , Sex Factors , Time FactorsSubject(s)
Suicide/epidemiology , Urban Population , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Family Characteristics , Female , Germany, West , Humans , Life Style , Male , Middle Aged , Socioeconomic FactorsABSTRACT
Chronic depressive reactions are seen especially in patients who cannot react adequately in the face of loss, because for psychological reasons they cannot give expression to their unhappiness. Examples are the abnormal grief reactions following severe loss, and also reactions to experiences which appear outwardly trivial, but which nevertheless are damaging to self-esteem. Inability to show dissatisfaction and inhibition of one's own aggressive tendencies are characteristic of depressive neurosis. The analysis of the relevant factors, which is important for differential diagnosis, and above all in treatment, should take into account the current personal and social situation of the individual, his earlier psychological development, his constitution, any supervening physical disorder, and the influence of environmental and cultural forces.
Subject(s)
Adjustment Disorders/etiology , Adjustment Disorders/therapy , Affective Symptoms/complications , Conflict, Psychological , Family , Female , Grief , Humans , Male , Psychotherapy/methodsSubject(s)
Suicide/epidemiology , Age Factors , Germany, West , Humans , Middle Aged , Occupations , Religion , Urban PopulationABSTRACT
According to the literature, widowed persons show in comparison to married persons higher rates for mortality (especially due to cardiac diseases), for suicidality and for psychiatric morbidity. Potential sources of error appear to be unimportant. Younger widowed persons are at greater relative risk than older. Widowers react more immediately to the bereavement than widows.
Subject(s)
Morbidity , Mortality , Single Person , Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Aged , Child , Divorce , Female , Germany, West , Humans , Male , Marriage , Mental Disorders/etiology , Middle Aged , Sex Factors , SuicideABSTRACT
Bereavement is one of the most frequent and severe stress situations in human life. Studies on the work of mourning are reviewed and discussed. Bereavement produces reactive depressions very similar to those after other severe losses. Cultural influences are of importance. Results of the first trials on prevention of ill-health following bereavement are reviewed.
