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Does an attempted suicide actually have a cathartic effect?
Author(s) -
Bronisch T.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1992.tb03257.x
Subject(s) - cathartic , psychopathology , depression (economics) , psychiatry , psychology , suicide prevention , suicide attempt , clinical psychology , poison control , injury prevention , medicine , psychotherapist , medical emergency , economics , macroeconomics
It has been suggested in empirical studies that an attempted suicide has a cathartic effect. However, only one study used a control group of depressives who had not attempted suicide. A replication of these results using more strictly defined patient groups and a more comprehensive assessment of the psychopathology during index treatment was not possible. Major depressives with and without suicide attempts before index admission displayed similar courses of their depressive symptoms and somatic complaints during index treatment. The cathartic effect of a suicide attempt may be restricted to a severe major depression or to a violent suicide attempt.