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An Epidemic of Suicide Attempts by Burning in a Psychiatric Hospital

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Z. Zemishlany ,
A. Weinberger ,
M. Ben-Bassat  and
H. Mell
Z. Zemishlany*
Affiliation:
Geha Psychiatric Hospital
A. Weinberger
Affiliation:
Department of Plastic Surgery
M. Ben-Bassat
Affiliation:
Department of Plastic Surgery, Beilinson Medical Center, Petah Tiqva and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel
H. Mell
Affiliation:
Emek Central Hospital, Afula, Israel
*
∗Geha Psychiatric Hospital, PO Box 72, Petah Tiqva 49 100, Israel
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Abstract

Three patients attempted suicide by burning in one ward of a psychiatric hospital in a period of less than 1 month. No such attempts had occurred there in the previous 9 years. The three patients were schizophrenics with depressive features who occupied the same room in the ward. It seems reasonable to suggest that at least the choice of method and the timing of these suicide attempts were influenced by imitation. Hospital staff should be especially aware of the influence of imitation in suicide in order to avert such undesired epidemics.

Type
Brief Reports
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 150 , Issue 5 , May 1987 , pp. 704 - 706
Copyright
Copyright © 1987 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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