Aims: A qualitative content analysis was conducted in a Hungarian therapeutic community for substance abusers to explore processes of recovery and identify possible threats of relapse. Design: Speeches of patients were analysed that they held on two occasions: one on the first sober birthday and the other on their graduation from the program. Two groups of 12 addicts (24 texts) were differentiated according to follow-up data: a group of speakers who continued their progress in recovery and another of those who relapsed some time after graduating. Findings: There are marked differences between the groups both in the emerging themes and in the sequential development of certain themes. Texts of recovering addicts are characterised by reflections on personal transformation experienced as a rite of passage and experiential knowledge on the care of self and spirituality while those who relapse often raise ''profane'' content and copy their fellows' speeches. Possible impact of these differences on recovery and relapse are discussed. Conclusions: Results suggest that spirituality may have a major role in recovery.
The authors obtained more information about the characteristics of suicide attempters in order to examine the most important differences between those who attempted suicide for the first time (first-evers) and those who had a previous attempt (repeaters). Within the framework of the WHO/EURO Multicentre Study on Suicidal Behaviour in Pecs Center, 1158 cases of parasuicide were collected over 4 years (July 1, 1997-June 30, 2001). In the monitoring sample, 728 (62.9%) parasuicide acts were committed by women and 430 (37.1%) by men, and more than half of the attempters had made a previous attempt In the logistic regression model a higher risk of repetition was found to be related to being divorced (OR 1.84), unemployed or economically inactive (OR 1.45), and without higher education (OR 2.54). In the sample, mental disorders were the most significant risk factor for repeated attempts. The odds ratio was highest (OR 5) for personality disorders. The results may reflect (besides some factors of social destabilization) a higher importance of major mental health problems among repeaters. For this reason, more effective recognition and treatment of the underlying psychiatric and social conditions of suicide attempters has special importance to prevent future suicidal behaviour.
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