Analysis of Suicidal Behavior and History of Substance Abuse Study by Adams and James C. Overholser - Essay Example

Based on this, it was predicted that both would have similar factors that contributed to these conditions, only that they affected the suicide attempt group more intensely. The selected sample comprised randomly selected 716 patients from the psychiatric emergency room. They ranged in age from 12 to 95 years and had both male and female patients who were White or Black. All the subjects were either suicidal or had expressed suicidal tendencies. They were categorized into three groups: suicide ideators, suicide attempters, and nonsuicidal controls.

The procedure of study was carried out through evaluations and interviews by a clinical social worker, a psychiatric nurse, and a psychiatrist. The attempt on the other hand was based on a combination of clinical interviews, medical examinations, or laboratory tasks. The gathered information was detailed comprising demographic information, history of suicide attempts and ideation, and history of alcohol abuse, drug abuse, and mental illness. The results of the study showed that suicidal patients differed from nonsuicidal patients in many ways however there were a lot of similarities present between suicide attempters and ideators.

The suicide ideators had the severest levels of pathology. The nonsuicidal controls had the highest frequency of previous psychiatric treatment, hospitalization, and use of medications. Depression levels were highest in suicidal subjects showing their personal and family high levels of alcohol consumption. The article also states how female subjects were most affected due to the presence of substance abuse in the family during childhood. The issue of suicide and substance abuse is one that, I have observed, is frequently prevalent in our society today and has in some way touched everyone’s lives.

If we look around us every day someone loses a loved one at the hands of substance abuse and we see how the unforeseen suicide of a certain individual sometimes leaves even those closest to him in a state of shock and denial. Families are torn apart and it can be said with absolute certainty that iffemalefemalefemalefemaleink about it everyone can recall a certain person that they once knew who was perhaps withdrawn, subdued, and depressed constantly. This very person is the one who is later associated with either drug abuse, alcohol abuse, or a display of suicidal tendencies.

Once this behavior escalates every day many extreme outcomes like suicide attempts or overdoses it's amazing how the situation falls into perspective and clarity regarding the root of the cause. I can recall a similar situation in high school and how the incident followed constant talk and speculation. How people stood in groups and shook their heads with newly risen interest in the affected individual's life and problems. Numerous times it is, based on my own observations, the result of intense family problems or consistent depression in an individual’s life.

Certain times it is a lack of consciousness due to extreme substance abuse. Either way, it saddens me greatly to see valuable human life wasted, neglected, or thrown away partly because of the unavailability of health outcomes and partly due to an inability to cope with extreme situations. The way a father, a responsible household figure can due to substance abuse bring upon his child an unaffected nightmare and have long-term psychological implications on the c’s growth is something I have seen happen to a close friend of mine which further enhances my interest in examining the root of this problem.