Results of a national survey of randomly selected psychiatrists revealed
that 51% (N = 131) of the 259 respondents had had a patient who committed
suicide. This event had an impact on both their personal and their
professional lives. Sixty-five psychiatrists reported stress levels in the
weeks following the suicide that were comparable to levels reported in
studies of people seeking treatment after the death of a parent. Younger,
less-experienced clinicians were more affected by a patient's suicide than
older clinicians with more experience. Implications of these results for
the training and practice of psychiatrists are discussed.Abstract Teaser