Grief Accompanied by Suicidal Thoughts After Traumatic Loss in Adolescent: A Case Report

Özlem Şireli; İrem Naz Yazarlı; Elif Abanoz; Ayla Uzun Çiçek; Cansu Mercan Işık; Mehmet Çolak

doi:10.7197/cmj.1498748

TR EN

Ergende Travmatik Kayıp Sonrası Suicidal Düşüncelerin Eşlik Ettiği Yas: Olgu Sunumu

Öz

Yas, sevilen birinin geri dönüşümsüz kaybı sonrasında yaşanan normal bir süreçtir. Acı deneyimler içeren bu süreç, ölen kişinin kimliği, ölüm şekli, kayıp yaşayan kişinin bireysel özellikleri, destek sistemleri gibi birçok etmenle ilişkili olarak farklı biçimlerde yaşantılanabilir. Kayıp şeklinin ani ve şiddet içeren şekilde olması, olağan yas sürecini etkileyerek bireyin kayıp sürecinde travmatik belirti ve bulgular yaşamasına neden olabilir. Literatürde “travmatik yas” olarak tanımlanan bu süreç, major depresyon, anksiyete bozuklukları, posttravmatik stres bozukluğu başta olmak üzere birçok psikiyatrik hastalık açısından risk teşkil etmektedir. Ebeveynin ölümü ergen için benliğin baş etmesini zorlayan ağır bir kayıptır. Tek başına ebeveyn kaybı, ergenlerde intihar davranışı için önemli risk faktörüdür. Ebeveynin travmatik kaybı, ruhsal açıdan sağlıklı bir ergende dahi olağan yas sürecini bozarak ebeveyn ölümü sonrası intihar düşünce ve davranışlarına neden olabilir. Bu yazıda, babasının ateşli silahla öldürülmesi sonrasında aktif suicidal düşünce ve davranışlar ile çocuk ve ergen psikiyatri polikliniğine başvuran 17 yaşında bir kız hastanın tanı ve tedavi süreci anlatılacaktır. Bu olgu sunumunun amacı, ergenlik dönemindeki travmatik kayıplar sonrası olağan dışı yas bulgularının gözden geçirilmesi ve tedavide farmakoterapinin yanı sıra destekleyici psikoterapinin uygulandığı bütüncül yaklaşımların etkinliğinin değerlendirilmesidir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Grief Accompanied by Suicidal Thoughts After Traumatic Loss in Adolescent: A Case Report

Abstract

Grief is a normal process that occurs following the irreversible loss of a loved one. This process, characterized by painful experiences, varies widely and is influenced by numerous factors, including the identity of the deceased, the circumstances of their death, the individual characteristics of the bereaved, and the availability of support systems. The suddenness and violence of a loss can disrupt the normal grieving process, leading to the manifestation of traumatic symptoms. This phenomenon, referred to as “traumatic grief” in the literature, is associated with an increased risk of various psychiatric disorders, including major depression, anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The death of a parent represents a profound loss for an adolescent, complicating their coping mechanisms and significantly impacting their psychological well-being. Parental loss alone is a significant risk factor for suicidal behavior in adolescents. When a parent’s death is traumatic, it can further exacerbate this risk, leading to suicidal thoughts and behaviors by disrupting the normal grief process, even in adolescents who were previously mentally healthy. This article presents the diagnosis and treatment of a 17-year-old girl who exhibited active suicidal thoughts and behaviors after her father was killed with a firearm. The objective of this case report is to explore the atypical grief symptoms that can follow traumatic losses during adolescence and to assess the effectiveness of holistic approaches that combine supportive psychotherapy with pharmacotherapy in treating such cases.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

Written informed consent for the presentation and publication of the case was obtained from the patient and her parent on the condition that the patient anonymity must be preserved.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Mental Health Services

Journal Section

Case Report

Authors

Özlem Şireli ^*
0000-0002-5549-4154
Türkiye

İrem Naz Yazarlı
0009-0005-7784-9234
Türkiye

Elif Abanoz
0000-0002-9214-4735
Türkiye

Ayla Uzun Çiçek
0000-0003-2274-3457
Türkiye

Cansu Mercan Işık
0000-0001-9437-3024
Türkiye

Mehmet Çolak
0000-0003-4880-3892
Türkiye

Publication Date

September 30, 2024

Submission Date

June 10, 2024

Acceptance Date

July 30, 2024

Published in Issue

Year 2024 Volume: 46 Number: 3

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7197/cmj.1498748

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA27NG58MM

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

AMA

1.Şireli Ö, Yazarlı İN, Abanoz E, Uzun Çiçek A, Mercan Işık C, Çolak M. Grief Accompanied by Suicidal Thoughts After Traumatic Loss in Adolescent: A Case Report. CMJ. 2024;46(3):217-221. doi:10.7197/cmj.1498748