Multiple suicide attempts associated with addiction to tramadol
Abstract Background The opioid tramadol is used as analgesic drug, and more recently was also proposed for the management of major depressive disorder. However, growing evidence suggests a link between opioid system dysfunction and suicidal behaviors, raising the question of tramadol use in view of...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2022-07-01
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| Series: | Annals of General Psychiatry |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12991-022-00401-6 |
| _version_ | 1817976624604250112 |
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| author | Bénédicte Nobile Marine Bonnin Emilie Olié Philippe Courtet |
| author_facet | Bénédicte Nobile Marine Bonnin Emilie Olié Philippe Courtet |
| author_sort | Bénédicte Nobile |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The opioid tramadol is used as analgesic drug, and more recently was also proposed for the management of major depressive disorder. However, growing evidence suggests a link between opioid system dysfunction and suicidal behaviors, raising the question of tramadol use in view of the high addictive and suicidal risk. Here, we present the case of a young adult woman with multiple suicide attempts related to tramadol addiction. Case presentation A 25-year-old woman was admitted for suicide attempt by phlebotomy in the Department of Psychiatric Emergency and Acute Care, Montpellier (France), in March 2020. The suicide attempt occurred 3 days after an abrupt tramadol withdrawal. In 2018, due to spinal disc herniation, she had a first prescription of tramadol to which she became addicted. The patient described an effect on psychological pain and suicidal ideation. However, she had to increase tramadol dose to obtain the desired effects, and for several months her intake was 2 000 mg per day. When she could not obtain tramadol any longer, suicidal ideation and psychological pain increased, leading to the suicide attempt. At the time of a worldwide opioid crisis that contributes to increasing suicidal behaviors, this case raises questions about tramadol prescription (often considered to be less addictive and with lower abuse potential) to individuals at risk of suicide. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T22:06:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6a3e6813dd10456db504a8f63dfe2335 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1744-859X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T22:06:11Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Annals of General Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-6a3e6813dd10456db504a8f63dfe23352022-12-22T02:27:57ZengBMCAnnals of General Psychiatry1744-859X2022-07-012111410.1186/s12991-022-00401-6Multiple suicide attempts associated with addiction to tramadolBénédicte Nobile0Marine Bonnin1Emilie Olié2Philippe Courtet3Department of Emergency Psychiatry and Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital CHU MontpellierDepartment of Emergency Psychiatry and Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital CHU MontpellierDepartment of Emergency Psychiatry and Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital CHU MontpellierDepartment of Emergency Psychiatry and Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital CHU MontpellierAbstract Background The opioid tramadol is used as analgesic drug, and more recently was also proposed for the management of major depressive disorder. However, growing evidence suggests a link between opioid system dysfunction and suicidal behaviors, raising the question of tramadol use in view of the high addictive and suicidal risk. Here, we present the case of a young adult woman with multiple suicide attempts related to tramadol addiction. Case presentation A 25-year-old woman was admitted for suicide attempt by phlebotomy in the Department of Psychiatric Emergency and Acute Care, Montpellier (France), in March 2020. The suicide attempt occurred 3 days after an abrupt tramadol withdrawal. In 2018, due to spinal disc herniation, she had a first prescription of tramadol to which she became addicted. The patient described an effect on psychological pain and suicidal ideation. However, she had to increase tramadol dose to obtain the desired effects, and for several months her intake was 2 000 mg per day. When she could not obtain tramadol any longer, suicidal ideation and psychological pain increased, leading to the suicide attempt. At the time of a worldwide opioid crisis that contributes to increasing suicidal behaviors, this case raises questions about tramadol prescription (often considered to be less addictive and with lower abuse potential) to individuals at risk of suicide.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12991-022-00401-6 |
| spellingShingle | Bénédicte Nobile Marine Bonnin Emilie Olié Philippe Courtet Multiple suicide attempts associated with addiction to tramadol Annals of General Psychiatry |
| title | Multiple suicide attempts associated with addiction to tramadol |
| title_full | Multiple suicide attempts associated with addiction to tramadol |
| title_fullStr | Multiple suicide attempts associated with addiction to tramadol |
| title_full_unstemmed | Multiple suicide attempts associated with addiction to tramadol |
| title_short | Multiple suicide attempts associated with addiction to tramadol |
| title_sort | multiple suicide attempts associated with addiction to tramadol |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12991-022-00401-6 |
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