Post traumatic stress disorder and suicidal behavior

Much evidence has shown that PTSD is significantly associated with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Suicide is an important cause of death in veterans, and the risk for intentional death continues to be high many years after service. Specific PTSD symptoms and specific psychological conditions associated with chronic stress reactions may contribute or mediate the association between PTSD and suicidal behavior. Furthermore, patients with PTSD often have comorbid disorders that may lead to a further increase of risk of suicide in these patients. Research has demonstrated that the magnitude of guilt, cluster B symptoms and comorbid depression were associated with increased suicide risk in PTSD Veterans. For the first time since the Vietnam War, the suicide rate in the military is higher than that in the general population, and so preventive strategies are extremely important to reduce suicide risk in deployed troops. © 2009 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.