Lessons Learned from Psychological Autopsies in Armed Forces.

Area of Science:

• Military psychiatry
• Psychological autopsy
• Suicide prevention

Background:

• Suicide in armed forces remains a concern despite preventive measures.
• Psychological autopsies can reveal biopsychosocial factors in military suicides.
• Limited research exists on suicide, not attempted suicide, in the Indian Armed Forces.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate psychosocial factors contributing to suicide in the armed forces using psychological autopsy.
• To differentiate findings from previous studies focusing on attempted suicide.

Main Methods:

• Conducted psychological autopsies on 16 suicide cases in a strategic location (February 2014 - July 2017).
• Gathered data via scene visits, interviews, call records, social media, diaries, financial, service, and health records.

Main Results:

• Majority of victims (9/16) were under 30 years old.
• Firearms were the most common method (10/16).
• Factors identified included family history of mental illness/suicide (3), past mental illness (3), substance abuse (2), behavioral changes (3), suicide notes (3), and expressed suicidal intent (5).

Conclusions:

• Frontier service strain is not a primary stressor for suicide in this cohort.
• Psychological autopsy is a valuable tool for understanding military suicide factors.