Suicide: The pandemic inside the pandemic
Introduction Covid-19 was declared a pandemic by the WHO on March 11th and efforts have been made to minimize the impact that this new disease can produce. The mental health effects of this pandemic can be severe considering that each year close to 800.000 people die by suicide. This pandemic coul...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2021-04-01
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| Series: | European Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821007288/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797617361421860864 |
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| author | R. André C. Sereijo M. Abreu |
| author_facet | R. André C. Sereijo M. Abreu |
| author_sort | R. André |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction
Covid-19 was declared a pandemic by the WHO on March 11th and efforts have been made to minimize the impact that this new disease can produce. The mental health effects of this pandemic can be severe considering that each year close to 800.000 people die by suicide. This pandemic could increase those numbers, although this is not inevitable.
Objectives
This work reviewed the current available data on possible causes for a suicide rate increase and to try to understand if suicide is already increasing worldwide.
Methods
Non-systematic review of the literature with selection of scientific articles published in the past 6 months; by searching Pubmed and Medscape databases using the combination of MeSH descriptors. The following MeSH terms were used: Covid-19; suicide; SARS-Cov2; pandemic.
Results
Multiple factors can account for an increase in suicide rates such as isolation with a sense of decreased belongingness and increased burdensomeness. A synergy with known suicide precipitants can also occur such as domestic violence, intra-familiar conflicts, alcohol consumption and access to means. Media communication can represent a danger with constant reports about the crisis. And lastly the loss of employment and financial stressors can produce an important impact.
Conclusions
In conclusion, Covid-19 will produce an important impact in many spheres of society, one of which will be mental health. If at the start of this crisis a widespread sense of solidarity was present with the maintenance of precipitant factors for suicide we expect to see an increase in suicide rates.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:54:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8fd4280de49b4460bacdc4d49d60c8d8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0924-9338 1778-3585 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:54:45Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-8fd4280de49b4460bacdc4d49d60c8d82023-11-17T05:06:06ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852021-04-0164S271S27110.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.728Suicide: The pandemic inside the pandemicR. André0C. Sereijo1M. Abreu2Psiquiatria, Centro Hospitalar Universitario Lisboa Norte, oeiras, PortugalPsiquiatria, Centro Hospitalar Universitario Lisboa Norte, Lisboa, PortugalPsiquiatria, Centro Hospitalar Universitario Lisboa Norte, Lisboa, Portugal Introduction Covid-19 was declared a pandemic by the WHO on March 11th and efforts have been made to minimize the impact that this new disease can produce. The mental health effects of this pandemic can be severe considering that each year close to 800.000 people die by suicide. This pandemic could increase those numbers, although this is not inevitable. Objectives This work reviewed the current available data on possible causes for a suicide rate increase and to try to understand if suicide is already increasing worldwide. Methods Non-systematic review of the literature with selection of scientific articles published in the past 6 months; by searching Pubmed and Medscape databases using the combination of MeSH descriptors. The following MeSH terms were used: Covid-19; suicide; SARS-Cov2; pandemic. Results Multiple factors can account for an increase in suicide rates such as isolation with a sense of decreased belongingness and increased burdensomeness. A synergy with known suicide precipitants can also occur such as domestic violence, intra-familiar conflicts, alcohol consumption and access to means. Media communication can represent a danger with constant reports about the crisis. And lastly the loss of employment and financial stressors can produce an important impact. Conclusions In conclusion, Covid-19 will produce an important impact in many spheres of society, one of which will be mental health. If at the start of this crisis a widespread sense of solidarity was present with the maintenance of precipitant factors for suicide we expect to see an increase in suicide rates. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821007288/type/journal_articleCOVID-19SuicideSARS-Cov2 |
| spellingShingle | R. André C. Sereijo M. Abreu Suicide: The pandemic inside the pandemic European Psychiatry COVID-19 Suicide SARS-Cov2 |
| title | Suicide: The pandemic inside the pandemic |
| title_full | Suicide: The pandemic inside the pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Suicide: The pandemic inside the pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Suicide: The pandemic inside the pandemic |
| title_short | Suicide: The pandemic inside the pandemic |
| title_sort | suicide the pandemic inside the pandemic |
| topic | COVID-19 Suicide SARS-Cov2 |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821007288/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT randre suicidethepandemicinsidethepandemic AT csereijo suicidethepandemicinsidethepandemic AT mabreu suicidethepandemicinsidethepandemic |