Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
Department of Psychology, The University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
Stress Health. 2022 Apr;38(2):350-363. doi: 10.1002/smi.3092. Epub 2021 Sep 7.
Despite the exorbitant rise in overdose-related deaths, little is known about the mental health burden associated with this form of loss. Using validated self-report instruments, the present study investigated the prevalence of pathological symptoms of prolonged grief disorder (PGD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and suicide risk among a sample of overdose loss survivors (n = 115). Comparison groups consisting of other sudden loss survivors (suicide and sudden-natural loss) were employed to illuminate any shared or unique mental health challenges. Consistent with this study's primary hypothesis, results indicated that the overall mental health burden of overdose loss is substantial. Specifically, after controlling for a number of covariates, overdose loss survivors were approximately three times more likely to meet the symptom severity threshold for PGD, PTSD, and MDD compared to sudden-natural loss survivors. Overdose loss survivors also appeared to be at risk for GAD symptoms and suicide, but differences were non-significant after accounting for a number of covariates. Overall, this study is the first to examine this particular constellation of mental health outcomes associated with overdose bereavement, underscoring the need for additional empirical and clinical attention placed on this burgeoning population.
尽管与过量用药相关的死亡人数急剧上升，但人们对这种丧失形式所带来的心理健康负担知之甚少。本研究使用经过验证的自我报告工具，调查了过量用药丧失幸存者（n=115）中持续性创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）、重度抑郁障碍（MDD）、广泛性焦虑障碍（GAD）和延长哀伤障碍（PGD）等病理性症状的患病率，以及自杀风险。研究还纳入了其他突发性丧失幸存者（自杀和突发自然丧失）作为对照组，以阐明任何共同或独特的心理健康挑战。与本研究的主要假设一致，结果表明，过量用药丧失的整体心理健康负担相当大。具体而言，在控制了许多协变量后，与突发自然丧失幸存者相比，过量用药丧失幸存者出现 PGD、PTSD 和 MDD 症状严重程度阈值的可能性大约高出三倍。过量用药丧失幸存者似乎也有患 GAD 症状和自杀的风险，但在考虑了许多协变量后，差异并不显著。总的来说，这项研究首次检查了与过量用药丧亲相关的这种特定心理健康结果组合，突出了需要对这一不断增长的人群给予更多的实证和临床关注。
