Objective: Although it has been known that adult patients with an adjustment disorder diagnosis do not have suicidal behavior similar to adolescents, the validity of this in private groups is unknown. This study was designed to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with suicide in patients with adjustment disorder that resulted with suicide by young men who had been performing military duty.
Methods: Of 202 young men with a diagnosis of adjustment disorder, 125(61.9%) were admitted with adjustment problems, and 77(38.1%) were admitted with suicide attempt. Demographic characteristics, substance abuse, psychiatric disorders, suicide attempts, family suicide, self-mutilation, physical and sexual trauma histories of both groups were compared.
Results: 83.1%(n = 64) of patients who attempted suicide selected methods unlikely to fail including firearms, hanging, jumping, cutting tools, and burning. Significant differences were found in the use of synthetic cannabinoids and self-mutilation between the two groups who attempted suicide versus those who did not. In addition, the use of synthetic cannabinoids was associated with past suicide attempts. It is difficult to generalize the results of the study to all patients with adjustment disorder.
Conclusion: These findings may help to predict suicidal behavior in young men showing symptoms of adjustment disorder.
Key words: Adjustment disorder, cannabinoids, suicide, self mutilation
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