ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Dyadic suicide pacts are cases in which two individuals (and very rarely more) agree to die together. These account for fewer than 1% of all completed suicides. OBJECTIVE: The authors describe two men in a long-term domestic partnership who entered into a suicide pact and, despite utilizing a high-lethality method (simultaneous arm amputation with a power saw), survived. METHOD: The authors investigated the psychiatric, psychological, and social causes of suicide pacts by delving into the history of these two participants, who displayed a very high degree of suicidal intent. Psychiatric interviews and a family conference call, along with the strong support of one patient's family, were elicited. RESULTS: The patients, both HIV-positive, showed high levels of depression and hopelessness, as well as social isolation and financial hardship. With the support of his family, one patient was discharged to their care, while the other partner was hospitalized pending reunion with his partner. DISCUSSION: This case illustrates many of the key, defining features of suicide pacts that are carried out and also highlights the nature of the dependency relationship.
Subject(s)
Arm , Self Mutilation/psychology , Suicide/psychology , Adult , Bipolar Disorder/complications , Bipolar Disorder/psychology , Bipolar Disorder/therapy , Depressive Disorder/complications , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Depressive Disorder/therapy , HIV Infections/complications , HIV Infections/psychology , Humans , Interview, Psychological/methods , Male , Self Mutilation/therapy , Social Isolation/psychology , Spouses/psychology , Suicide PreventionABSTRACT
The relationship between sexual sensation seeking and sexual risk taking has been investigated among adult populations. There are limited data, however, regarding this relationship for adolescents. Since African-American adolescent females continue to be disproportionately diagnosed with STDs, including HIV, we examined this association among a clinic-based sample of African-American adolescent females (N=715) enrolled in an STD/HIV prevention intervention. Participants (ages 15-21) endorsing higher levels of sexual sensation seeking reported higher levels of sexual risk-taking behaviours (e.g. frequency of vaginal intercourse, number of sexual partners, and poorer condom use). Results remained significant after controlling for known covariates associated with sexual risk-taking behaviours. Results are consistent with the adult literature and highlight the need for future investigations examining sexual sensation seeking among adolescents. These results, though preliminary, could be used to better inform prevention interventions and clinicians/health educators who provide direct services to adolescents.