Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gvvz8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-18T19:07:42.910Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Preventing plane-assisted suicides through the lessons of research on homicide and suicide–homicide

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 December 2015

Timothy R Rice Open the ORCID record for Timothy R Rice [Opens in a new window]  and
Leo Sher
Timothy R Rice*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
Leo Sher
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
*
Timothy Rice, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1230, New York, NY 10029, USA. Tel: +212.241.7175; Fax: +212.241.9311; E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective

The Germanwings 9525 incident drew significant attention to the ‘plane-assisted suicide’ construct, yet little scientific literature exists on this topic. This paper reviews the available literature and applies lessons from the suicide-homicide and men’s mental health literature to better understand this construct from a scientific perspective.

Methods

A systematic review of the relevant clinical literature was undertaken.

Results

Multiple lines of evidence suggests the applicability and relevance of suicide-homicide research and men’s mental health to the plane-assisted suicide phenomenon. Plane-assisted suicides occur within an overwhelmingly male, middle aged population who, in addition to suicide, commit large scale acts of murder. Issues of divorce, separation, and threats to masculinity appear integral to an effective prevention program.

Conclusion

Further research in the understanding of plane-assisted suicide as a product of neuropsychiatric disorder may advance such prevention efforts and have the opportunity to reduce the loss of life in future tragedies.

Keywords

homicidehomicide–suicideplane-assisted suicidepreventionsuicide
Type
Perspectives
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Volume 28 , Issue 4 , August 2016 , pp. 195 - 198
Check for updates
Copyright
© Scandinavian College of Neuropsychopharmacology 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Pokorny, A. Prediction of suicide in psychiatric patients. Report of a prospective study. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1983;40:249–257.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2. Sher, L. Preventing suicide. QJM-Mon J Assoc Physicians 2004;97:677–680.Google ScholarPubMed
3. Aviation Safety Network. List of aircraft accidents and incidents intentionally caused by pilots [Internet]. Available at http://news.aviation-safety.net/2015/03/26/list-of-aircraft-accidents-and-incidents-deliberately-caused-by-pilots/. Accessed May 10, 2015.Google Scholar
4. Vuorio, A, Laukkala, T, Navathe, P, Budowle, B, Eyre, A, Sajantila, A. Aircraft-assisted pilot suicides: lessons to be learned. Aviat Sp Environ Med 2014;85:841–846.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5. Moran, L, Siemaszko, C. Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 pilot’ in “no state of mind to be flying,” says friend, as search for missing plane explores possible debris southwest of Australia. New York Daily News 2014.Google Scholar
6. Wilson, E, Taylor, G. Goodnight Malaysian 370: The truth behind the loss of flight 370. Hamilton, New Zealand: Wilson Aviation, 2014.Google Scholar
7. Panczak, R, Geissbühler, M, Zwahlen, M, Killias, M, Tal, K, Egger, M. Homicide-suicides compared to homicides and suicides: systematic review and meta-analysis. Forensic Sci Int 2013;233:28–36.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8. Federal Aviation Administration. US Civil Airmen Statistics [Internet]. Available at https://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation_data_statistics/civil_airmen_statistics/2013/. Accessed May 10, 2015.Google Scholar
9. Saner, E. Female pilots: a slow take-off [Internet]. The Guardian. 2014. Available at http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/jan/13/female-pilots-woman-flying-aeroplane. Accessed May 13, 2015.Google Scholar
10. Eliason, S. Murder-suicide: a review of the recent literature. J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2009;37:371–376.Google ScholarPubMed
11. When the pilot could not be trusted. 14 November 1999 [Internet]. The Guardian. Available at http://www.theguardian.com/world/1999/nov/15/1. Accessed May 10, 2015.Google Scholar
12. Sidorchik, A. Two crashes. Soviet pilots destroyed buildings to retaliate against wives. Available at http://www.aif.ru/society/safety/1476907 (in Russian), accessed 10 May 2015.Google Scholar
13. Akin, A, Chaturvedi, AK. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in pilot fatalities of civil aviation accidents, 1990-2001. Aviat Sp Environ Med 2003;74:1169–1176.Google ScholarPubMed
14. Ireland, RR. Pharmacologic considerations for serotonin reuptake inhibitor use by aviators. Aviat Space Environ Med 2002;73:421–429.Google ScholarPubMed
15. Schatzberg, AF, Nemeroff, CB. The American psychiatric press textbook of psychopharmacology. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Press, 2003.Google Scholar
16. Ravera, S, Ramaekers, JG, De Jong-van den Berg, LTW, De Gier, JJ. Are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors safe for drivers? What is the evidence? Clin Therapeutics 2012;34:1070–1083.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17. Moberg, T, Stenbacka, M, Jönsson, EG, Nordström, P, Asberg, M, Jokinen, J. Risk factors for adult interpersonal violence in suicide attempters. BMC Psychiatry 2014;14:195.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
18. Sahlin-Berg, H, Moberg, T, Hirvikoski, T, , Jokinen J. Non-suicidal self-injury and interpersonal violence in suicide attempters. Arch Suicide Res 2015;19:500–509.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19. Pirkola, S, Sund, R, Sailas, E, Wahlbeck, K. Community mental-health services and suicide rate in Finland: a nationwide small-area analysis. Lancet 2009;373:147–153.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20. Knox, KL, Pflanz, S, Talcott, GW et al. The US Air Force suicide prevention program: implications for public health policy. Am J Public Health 2010;100:2457–2463.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21. Sher, L, Rihmer, Z, Didia-Attas, J et al. Future research and clinical directions in the field of men’s mental health: the Madrid declaration. Front Public Heal. Frontiers 2014;2:1–2.Google ScholarPubMed
22. Sher, L, Rice, TR, on behalf of the World Federation of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) Task Force on Men’s Mental Health. Prevention of homicidal behavior in men with psychiatric disorders. World J Biol Psychiatry 2015;16:212–229.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
23. Pompili, M, Serafini, G, Innamorati, M et al. Car accidents as a method of suicide: a comprehensive overview. Forensic Sci Int 2012;223:1–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24. Parry, J. Can media depictions of suicide influence copycat acts? BMJ 2010;341:c5067.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25. Niederkrotenthaler, T, Reidenberg, DJ, Till, B, Gould, MS. Increasing help-seeking and referrals for individuals at risk for suicide by decreasing stigma. Am J Prev Med 2014;47:S235–S243.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed