ABSTRACT
When working with people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) it is important to take into account the possibility that they may consider, plan, or attempt suicide, as there is an increased likelihood that they will do so compared with the general population. Tarrier and Gregg (2004) found a significantly higher incidence of suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts relative to the general population in 94 patients with chronic PTSD. Oguendo et al. (2005, 2003) report that patients with PTSD are 14.9 times more likely than those without PTSD to attempt suicide, and they also found that, in the context of major depressive disorder, those with a comorbid diagnosis of PTSD are the most likely to have attempted suicide. However, the precise nature of the links between the experience of trauma and subsequent suicidality has not been explored in great detail, with little clinical guidance as to how to reduce risk.
