Attempted Suicide Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Depression - An Exploratory Study

Studies evaluating stress hormone regulation after a suicide attempt reported an endocrine pattern similar to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). These findings led to the assumption that an attempted suicide may trigger the development of PTSD-like symptoms. To test this hypothesis, we retrospectively evaluated the incidence of PTSD in response to an attempted suicide in depressed patients participating in the Munich Antidepressant Response Signature (MARS) project. 30 patients with a history of a suicide attempt were included. 46.7% of these patients reported PTSD-like symptoms in specifically in response to the suicide attempt and independent from other past traumatic experiences. The risk to develop PTSD after a suicide attempt increased with the severity of the attempted suicide and with the precautions taken to prevent discovery. Our findings suggest that depressed patients surviving a suicide attempt experience a severe trauma likely to induce PTSD. We conclude that PTSD-specific medical and psychological interventions should be considered after severe suicide attempts.