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Life Events Precipitating Mania

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Sidney Kennedy*
Affiliation:
Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, 250 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 1R8, Canada and the Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto
Ruth Thompson
Affiliation:
Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, 250 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 1R8, Canada and the Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto
Harvey C. Stancer
Affiliation:
Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, 250 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 1R8, Canada and the Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto
Alec Roy
Affiliation:
Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, 250 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 1R8, Canada and the Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto
Emmanuel Persad
Affiliation:
Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, 250 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 1R8, Canada and the Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto
*
Present address: Staff Psychiatrist, Affective Disorder Unit, Room 8–EN 220, Toronto General Hospital, 101 College Street, Toronto M5G IL7, Canada.

Summary

A study of 20 manic patients, with patient and matched control comparisons, showed a two fold increase in life events during the 4 month period before admission to hospital. Life events, independent of affective illness and having significant objective negative impact (i.e. traumatic) were significantly more common. These findings are considered in relation to social relationships, family history of affective illness and the use of psychotropic medication.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © 1983 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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