Successful and rapid response to electroconvulsive therapy of a suicidal patient with comorbid bipolar I disorder and histrionic personality disorder.

Abstract

A woman with bipolar disorder I, histrionic personality disorder, and suicidal ideation with repeated suicide attempts, who had been treated for 2 years with mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and benzodiazepines, received a total of 8 bitemporal-biparietal electroconvulsive therapy sessions. Her suicidal ideation and self-harm behavior disappeared immediately after the first session and her psychopathology soon after. This supports the existence of a relatively independent suicidal syndrome and confirms data on its immediate responsiveness to electroconvulsive therapy. Electroconvulsive therapy must not be long withheld from patients with such characteristics to reduce unnecessary sufferance and suicidality.

• Authors: Chiara Rapinesi, Daniele Serata, Antonio Del Casale, Alessio Simonetti, Mara Milioni, Lorenzo Mazzarini, Paola Scatena, Claudio Fensore, Paolo Carbonetti, Giorgio D Kotzalidis, Roberto Tatarelli, Maurizio Pompili, Paolo Girardi
• Journal: The journal of ECT (J ECT) Vol. 28 Issue 1 Pg. 57-8 (Mar 2012) ISSN: 1533-4112 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 22343582 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Letter)

Chemical References

• Muscle Relaxants, Central

Topics

• Adult
• Anxiety (complications, therapy)
• Bipolar Disorder (complications, psychology, therapy)
• Combined Modality Therapy
• Electroconvulsive Therapy
• Female
• Histrionic Personality Disorder (complications, psychology, therapy)
• Humans
• Muscle Relaxants, Central
• Psychotherapy
• Self-Injurious Behavior (complications, psychology, therapy)
• Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders (complications, psychology)
• Suicidal Ideation
• Suicide, Attempted