Do survivors respond differently when alcohol abuse complicates suicide? Findings from the psychological autopsy study in Estonia

Abstract

Background When a person with alcohol use disorder commits suicide, do the immediate family members (parents, spouses, and children) react differently from the relatives of non-alcohol-related suicides? Methods From a series of 427 psychological autopsies conducted in Estonia we selected 261 cases of suicide where the key informants were close relatives. Of the 261 suicides, 148 met the DSM-IV criteria for alcohol use disorder (alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence), while 113 did not. Unconditional logistic regression was used to estimate the association in terms of emotions. Results The spouses of alcohol misusing suicides were significantly more likely to react with anger than those when alcohol did not complicate the picture (adjusted OR = 3.8, 95% CI = 1.4-0.4). The children of persons with alcohol use disorder, who committed suicide were less likely to feel guilty (adjusted OR = 0.2, 95% CI = 0.1-0.8) or abandoned (adjusted OR = 0.2, 95% CI = 0.1-0.7) than children of non-alcohol-related suicide victims. There were no statistically significant differences in surviving parents' emotions. Conclusions Alcohol use disorder before suicide changes affective responses in spouses and children who are left behind. Bereavement counsellors should be alert for complex grief and mourning responses among this group of suicide survivors.