A Longitudinal Study of Correlates, Discharge Disposition, and Rate of Re-presentation to Emergency Services of Adults who Engage in Non-suicidal Self-injury.

OBJECTIVE: In DSM-5, non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicide attempts (SA) are classified as distinct disorders in the section of conditions for further study. However, some have questioned the validity of distinguishing NSSI from SA. The objective of this study was to longitudinally examine the correlates, discharge disposition, and rate of re-presentation to emergency services of adults who engaged in NSSI and compare them to (a) adults who engage in SA and (b) adults with no self-harm or suicidal ideation (SI). METHOD: Data came from 4,772 presentations to adult psychiatric services in the emergency departments of tertiary care hospitals in Winnipeg, Canada between January 2009 and June 2012. Chart reviews were conducted for all presentations with NSSI (n = 158), and a sample of those with SA (n = 172) and no SH or SI (n = 173). RESULTS: Among the adults who returned to emergency services, those who originally presented with SA re-presented significantly sooner than those who presented with NSSI. (χ2(1) = 7.457, p = 0.006). Those who originally presented with NSSI that returned to hospital did not return with repeat NSSI, but instead the majority re-presented with suicidal thoughts and SA. Further, those who re-presented with NSSI and SA were less likely to be hospitalized or to receive a referral to mental health services, and more likely to be discharged to usual care at time of initial presentation. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, these findings indicate a trajectory of escalation of self-harm behavior for certain people who engage in NSSI, especially those who re-present to emergency services.HIGHLIGHTSA quarter of people with self-harm re-present to emergency services within four-and-a-half years.Those with suicide attempts re-presented significantly sooner than non-suicidal self-injury.There is a need for increased interventions in emergency services for those with self-harm.

A Comparison of Self-Harm Presentations to Emergency Services.

Background: In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition, the distinction between nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicide attempts (SA) is highlighted in the section of conditions for further study. Aims: The objective of this study was to examine the correlates of people who presented to emergency departments (ED) with NSSI compared with those who presented with SA and no self-harm or suicidal ideation (no SH or SI). Method: Data came from 4,772 presentations to ED of tertiary care hospitals in Manitoba, Canada, between January 2009 and June 2012. Chart reviews were conducted for presentations with NSSI (n = 158), and a sample of SA (n = 172) and no SH or SI (n = 173). Results: NSSI was associated with borderline personality traits/disorders, previous history of SH, and aggression/impulsivity compared with no SH or SI. SA was associated with a lower likelihood of adjustment disorder (OR = 0.58; 95 % CI [0.34, 0.99]) and previous history of NSSI (OR = 0.30; 95 % CI [0.17, 0.53]) compared with NSSI. Limitations: A limitation of this study is its cross-sectional design. Conclusion: Given the distress associated with NSSI, the findings highlight the need for treatment plans that address all those who present to ED with SH regardless of intent.

A comparison of methods of self-harm without intent to die: Cutting versus self-poisoning.

BACKGROUND: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in DSM-5 Section 3 is restricted to damaging the skin, while self-poisoning is not considered NSSI even if there was no suicidal intent. The objective of this study was to compare correlates of people who self-cut and those who self-poison without suicidal intent, to determine whether people who harm themselves by cutting are a distinct subgroup. METHODS: There were 12,435 presentations to adult psychiatric services in the emergency departments of tertiary care hospitals in Manitoba between January 2009 and December 2013. Chart reviews were conducted for all presentations with self-harm without suicidal intent (n=219; 1.8% of the total sample). People presenting with cutting (n=47) were compared to those presenting with self-poisoning (n=116). RESULTS: There were no differences between the groups on most demographic measures, except for age, where the people who cut were younger. Mental disorders were common in both groups. 31.9% of the cutting group had an alcohol use disorder, as did 25% of the self-poisoning group. Cluster B personality traits/disorder was diagnosed more frequently in the cutting group (51.1%) than the self-poisoning group (37.9%), but this difference was non-significant. Previous non-suicidal self-harm was more common among people cutting. LIMITATIONS: We were unable to draw conclusions about the risk of suicide. CONCLUSIONS: People who engage in non-suicidal self-harm have high rates of mental disorders. The method that people use to harm themselves does not appear to distinguish these groups; they appear to be similar on most demographic and diagnostic correlates. Further study is required to determine the validity of NSSI, including studies that compare those who self-harm with and without suicidal intent.

Correlates of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury and Suicide Attempts Among Tertiary Care, Emergency Department Patients.

OBJECTIVE: In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, the distinction between nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicidal behaviour disorder is highlighted in the section Conditions for Further Study. Diagnostic criteria classify NSSI and suicidal behaviour disorder as distinct disorders, with the latter including suicide attempt (SA). This study examined the prevalence and correlates of NSSI in emergency department (ED) settings and compared them to SA. METHODS: Data came from adult referrals to psychiatric services in 2 EDs between January 2009 and June 2011 (n = 5336). NSSI was compared with SA, as well as no suicidal behaviour, across a broad range of demographic and diagnostic correlates. RESULTS: NSSI was more highly associated with female sex, childhood abuse, anxiety disorders, major depressive disorder (MDD), aggression and impulsivity, age under 45, and substance use disorders (SUDs), compared with presentations without suicidal behaviour. Comparing NSSI and SA, no differences were observed on sex, age, history of child abuse, or presence of anxiety or SUDs. Recent life stressors (OR 1.44; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.99), active suicidal ideation (OR 8.84; 95% CI 5.26 to 14.85), MDD (OR 3.05; 95% CI 2.23 to 4.17), previous psychiatric care or SA (OR 1.89; 95% CI 1.36 to 2.64), and single marital status (OR 1.63; 95% CI 1.20 to 2.22) contributed to a higher SA rate. Among people with NSSI, 83.7% presented only once to an ED. Among people who presented multiple times, only 18.2% re-presented with NSSI. CONCLUSIONS: NSSI is associated with early life adversity and psychiatric comorbidity. Most people present only once to ED services, and self-harm presentations seemed to change over time. Future studies should continue to clarify whether NSSI and SA have distinct risk profiles.

Drug use, abuse, and dependence and the persistence of nicotine dependence.

INTRODUCTION: Illicit drug use and nicotine dependence (ND) frequently co-occur. Yet, to date very few studies have examined the role of alcohol and illicit drug use in ND persistence. The objectives of this study were to investigate the relationships between specific classes of drug use, abuse, and dependence and the persistence of ND over time among adults in the United States. METHODS: Data were drawn from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, a national survey of 34,653U.S. adults interviewed between 2001-2002 and reinterviewed 3 years later. Logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the relationships between various classes of drug use, abuse, and dependence among adults with ND at Wave 1 and the odds for persistent ND at Wave 2. Analyses were adjusted for differences in demographic characteristics, mood/anxiety disorders, alcohol use disorders, and other substance use disorders. RESULTS: Lifetime drug use was not associated with significantly increased likelihood for persistent ND. Sedative abuse was associated with increased odds for nicotine persistence, but no other types of drug abuse were predictive of ND persistence, after adjusting for demographics, mood/anxiety, and alcohol use disorders. All types of drug dependence were associated with persistence of ND; the strongest associations emerged between opioid and tranquilizer dependence and persistent ND, while the associations between cannabis and cocaine dependence were no longer significant after adjusting for mood/anxiety disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should take care to evaluate the presence and/or history of drug dependence among patients seeking treatment for smoking cessation. These data suggest that a history of substance dependence predicts increased vulnerability to persistent ND.

Which symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder are associated with suicide attempts?

Individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder are at increased risk for suicide attempts. The present study aimed to determine which of the specific DSM-IV symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are independently associated with suicide attempts. Data came from Wave 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). The NESARC has a sample size of N = 34653. The full sample size included in analyses was 2322 individuals with PTSD. Among individuals with lifetime PTSD, after adjusting for sociodemographic factors, as well as any mood, substance, personality, or anxiety disorder (excluding PTSD), increasing numbers of re-experiencing and avoidance symptoms were significantly correlated with suicide attempts. Of the specific symptoms, having physical reactions by reminders of the trauma, being unable to recall some part of it, and having the sense of a foreshortened future, were all associated with suicide attempts. These findings will help extend our understanding of the elevated risk for suicide attempts in individuals with PTSD.

The relationship between nicotine cessation and mental disorders in a nationally representative sample.

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between Axis I and II mental disorders, quality of life, and nicotine dependence cessation in a nationally representative sample. Data came from Wave 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), a nationally representative survey of adults in the United States (N = 34,653). People who met DSM-IV criteria for nicotine dependence previously but who had abstained from nicotine in the last year (nicotine cessation) were compared to people currently dependent on nicotine as well as lifetime abstainers using multivariate logistic regression. Outcomes of interest included DSM-IV Axis I and II mental disorders, treatment seeking for mental disorders, and quality of life measures. In adjusted models, individuals who ceased nicotine use in the last year were less likely to have past-year mood [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.64; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.50-0.82, p < 0.001] and substance use disorders (AOR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.52-0.82, p < 0.001) compared to those with current nicotine dependence. They were also less likely to have narcissistic and borderline personality disorders. Compared to those with current nicotine dependence, cessation was associated with an improved quality of life, both physically (beta = 1.65; standard error 0.40, p < 0.001) and mentally (beta = 2.17, standard error 0.39, p < 0.001). In conclusion, nicotine dependence cessation was associated with reduced likelihood of several mental disorders and a higher quality of life compared to those with current nicotine dependence. These findings provide further support for public health policy aimed at smoking cessation.

Fear of dying in panic attacks predicts suicide attempt in comorbid depressive illness: prospective evidence from the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions.

CONTEXT: As a group, comorbid anxiety disorders among depressed persons have consistently been found to increase risk of suicide attempt (SA). Growing evidence supports the link between panic attacks (PAs) and suicidality, but prospective evidence is limited and the nature of the linkage remains unclear. The positive-feedback model of suicide suggests that PAs eliciting catastrophic cognitions may drive SA. OBJECTIVE: To prospectively examine the relationship between PAs, panic symptoms and suicidality in individuals meeting DSM-IV criteria for past-year major depressive episodes in a large epidemiological study. METHODS: In data on 2,864 participants of the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) wave 1 and 2 surveys with depressive disorders, the associations of PAs and panic symptoms with subsequent suicidal ideation (SI) and SAs were assessed using logistic regression. RESULTS: Past-year PAs in wave 1 significantly increased odds for subsequent SI and attempt in the 3-year follow-up interval; however, in multivariate analyses, PAs were not a significant predictor, but PAs featuring fear of dying were. Further, among subjects with PAs, fear of dying during a PA increased the odds of subsequent SA sevenfold, even after controlling for comorbid disorders, demographic factors, and other PA symptoms. CONCLUSION: PAs characterized by prominent morbid catastrophic cognitions may mediate the transition to SIs and SAs in subjects with depressive episodes. Presence of these symptoms in clinical settings may serve as a warning sign for future suicidality.

A longitudinal population-based study exploring treatment utilization and suicidal ideation and behavior in major depressive disorder.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to longitudinally examine the relationship between treatment utilization and suicidal behavior among people with major depressive disorder in a nationally representative sample. METHODS: Data came from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) (Wave 1: N=43,093; Wave 2: N=34,653). Suicidal and non-suicidal individuals at Wave 1 were compared based on subsequent treatment utilization. Suicidal behavior at Wave 2 was compared between people with major depressive disorder who had sought treatment at Wave 1 versus those that had not. RESULTS: Individuals with past year major depressive disorder at Wave 1 who attempted suicide were more likely to be hospitalized at follow up compared to non-suicidal people with major depressive disorder [adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=4.46; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 2.54-7.85]; however, they were not more likely to seek other forms of treatment. Among those with past year major depressive disorder who sought treatment at baseline, visiting an emergency room (AOR=3.08; 95% CI: 1.61-5.89) and being hospitalized (AOR=2.41; 95% CI: 1.13-5.14), was associated with an increased likelihood of attempting suicide within 3 years even after adjusting for mental disorder comorbidity, depression severity, and previous suicidal behavior. LIMITATIONS: Unable to draw conclusions about completed suicide or adequacy of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Suicidal behavior does not lead individuals with major depressive disorder to seek treatment with professionals or use antidepressant medications; instead, they are more likely to use emergency services. These findings suggest that treatment efforts for people with major depressive disorder who are suicidal need improvement.

Suicide attempts versus nonsuicidal self-injury among individuals with anxiety disorders in a nationally representative sample.

BACKGROUND: This study is aimed to determine whether anxiety disorders are associated with suicide attempts with intent to die and to further investigate the characteristics of deliberate self-harm (DSH) among anxiety disorders. METHOD: Data came from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiological Surveys (N = 20,130; age 18 years and older; response rate = 72.3%). DSM-IV anxiety disorders were assessed using the World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview. People with an anxiety disorder endorsing a history of DSH were subcategorized as those who made suicide attempts (n = 159; individuals who intended to die), versus those who made nonsuicidal self-injuries (n = 85; individuals who did not intend to die). RESULTS: Anxiety disorders were associated with both suicide attempts and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). People with generalized anxiety disorder and social phobia who engaged in DSH were more likely to have made a suicide attempt than a NSSI, independent of the effects of mood and substance use disorders. In addition, individuals with generalized anxiety disorder and social phobia who engaged in DSH were more likely to engage in this behavior multiple times, and at least one of those times was a suicide attempt. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that anxiety disorders are associated with suicide attempts with intent to die. Social phobia and generalized anxiety disorder appear to be associated with the more worrisome patterns of DSH including multiple suicide attempts.