German research perspectives on suicidality and the rationale for future multinational suicide prevention projects among military service personnel

Willmund, Gerd; Waechter, Henriette; Helms, Christian; Wesemann, Ulrich; Hess, Julius H.; Seiffert, Anja; Bambridge, Darren; Zimmermann, Peter; Himmerich, Hubertus

doi:10.1080/09540261.2019.1581146

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…A study by Jones and colleagues [ 2 ] indicated an increase in the prevalence of self-harm (including suicide attempts) among the United Kingdom (UK) serving military personnel, although the increasing numbers do not correspond to the actual changes in the suicide rates observed over the same period of time. Willmund and colleagues [ 3 ] also reported an upward tendency in suicide rates in the German Armed Forces with military suicide rates surpassing the general German population rates in 2014 and 2015.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Suicide Risk, Alcohol Consumption and Attitudes towards Psychological Help-Seeking among Lithuanian General Population Men, Conscripts and Regular Active Duty Soldiers

Mažulytė-Rašytinė

Grigienė

Gailienė

2023

IJERPH

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The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between suicide risk, alcohol consumption, and attitudes towards professional psychological help among Lithuanian general population men, conscripts, and regular active duty (AD) soldiers. In total, 1195 Lithuanian adult males participated in the study: 445 men from the general population, 490 conscripts, and 260 regular AD soldiers from the Lithuanian Armed Forces. The study’s measures included: general suicide risk, alcohol consumption levels, frequency of using alcohol as a means to suppress difficult thoughts and feelings, and attitudes toward psychological help. Both military samples showed significantly lower suicide risk than men from the general population. Alcohol use as a means to suppress difficult thoughts and feelings was the most significant predictor of suicide risk and a significant mediator between alcohol consumption and suicide risk in all study groups. Another significant suicide risk predictor and mediator between alcohol consumption and suicide risk—i.e., the value of seeking psychological treatment—was found only in the conscript sample. Results of the current study suggest that there is an opportunity for intervention aimed at the attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help for conscripts. However, that might not be the case for regular AD soldiers, nor the general population of Lithuanian men.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Suicide Risk, Alcohol Consumption and Attitudes towards Psychological Help-Seeking among Lithuanian General Population Men, Conscripts and Regular Active Duty Soldiers

Mažulytė-Rašytinė

Grigienė

Gailienė

2023

IJERPH

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“…Military-related psychiatric disorders have gained significant traction within the scientific community over the last two decades. These disorders include anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, alcohol and substance use disorders, and suicidality 5–7. Recently, the field of eating disorders in the military has attracted scientific interest 8–10.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Body dysmorphic disorder, muscle dysmorphia, weight and shape dissatisfaction and the use of appearance-enhancing drugs in the military: a systematic review

et al. 2022

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BackgroundBody dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and muscle dysmorphia (MD) are common but often underdiagnosed disorders. These disorders have rarely been explored in the context of military personnel by mental health researchers despite the emphasis on physical fitness in military populations. We conducted a comprehensive systematic literature review on scientific studies of BDD and MD and the accompanying symptoms within the military.MethodsWe used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines and used PubMed, Web of Science and PsycINFO as databases with “body dysmorphic disorder,” “muscle dysmorphia,” “body image,” “performance and image enhancing drugs,” “anabolic steroid,” military personnel,” “soldiers,” “navy,” “air force,” “army” and “armed forces” as search terms.ResultsA total of 20 eligible articles reporting data of 42 952 study participants were used. According to the identified literature, prevalence rates of BDD in the military are ~10% in men and ~20% in women, whereas ~15% of men and ~5% of women may suffer from MD. Further identified related problems in military populations were excessive bodybuilding, the use of anabolic drugs, the intake of stimulants, weight and shape concerns, and weight-control behaviours.ConclusionsBDD, MD, as well as the use of anabolic and stimulating drugs, are highly prevalent in military personnel. Despite the importance of these problems in the military, there are no military-specific treatment studies available. A pre-existing focus on physical appearance and fitness might contribute to the decision to pursue a professional military career. The military environment might be a maintaining factor of BDD or MD, but not the ultimate cause of the disorder in an affected individual.

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“…In addition, specialists in the study of aspects of military suicide were asked to analyze archival information from 1819 to 2017 about the circumstances and reasons for committing suicide by US military personnel (Smith et al, 2019). Researchers of suicide among U.S. military personnel suggested joining forces to solve this problem with specialists from Germany, Canada, and Great Britain (Willmund et al, 2019b).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Main Factors and Personality Characteristics to Predict the Risk of Suicide by Military Personnel in Hostilities

Prykhodko

Matsehora

Kolesnichenko

et al. 2020

BRAIN

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The problem of non-combat losses due to suicides of military personnel is relevant for most of the armed forces of states participating in local armed conflicts. The posthumous pathopsychological study of materials from the investigation of suicides by Ukrainian military personnel made it possible to identify the main factors of committing suicides during the period of participation in hostilities in eastern Ukraine in 2014-2019: problems of adaptation to combat conditions; insufficient level of professional and psychological training to perform missions in combat conditions; acute stressful reactions to participation in hostilities; physical and mental exhaustion, demotivation; dysfunctional families; loneliness or breakup with a beloved woman; offenses and disciplinary actions; alcohol abuse. The main types of personality who committed suicide in different periods of hostilities were: in 2014-2016 "Demonstratively-Dependent", having two subtypes "Demonstratively-Maladaptive" and "Demonstratively-Masked"; in 2017-2019 "Asthenic-Depressive", which has two subtypes "Constitutionally-Weak" and "Exhausted-Demotivated". The manifestation of PTSD symptoms, physical and mental exhaustion, demotivation, indifference of society to the problems of veterans can significantly increase the risk of suicide in the postwar period. The division into periods of suicidal activity of servicemen suggests that the identified types (subtypes) of personality become suicidal only in extreme conditions with impaired adaptation and self-realization. The identified reasons for committing suicides and the typification of military personnel-suicides associated with different periods of participation in hostilities are not exhaustive.

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German research perspectives on suicidality and the rationale for future multinational suicide prevention projects among military service personnel

Cited by 4 publications

References 50 publications

Suicide Risk, Alcohol Consumption and Attitudes towards Psychological Help-Seeking among Lithuanian General Population Men, Conscripts and Regular Active Duty Soldiers

Suicide Risk, Alcohol Consumption and Attitudes towards Psychological Help-Seeking among Lithuanian General Population Men, Conscripts and Regular Active Duty Soldiers

Body dysmorphic disorder, muscle dysmorphia, weight and shape dissatisfaction and the use of appearance-enhancing drugs in the military: a systematic review

The Main Factors and Personality Characteristics to Predict the Risk of Suicide by Military Personnel in Hostilities

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