Andrew Robert Young, a 61-year-old man with lifelong depression and social phobia, died by hanging on 13-14 January 2020. He had received consistent psychiatric care from an experienced psychiatrist for 16 years using supportive psychotherapy, as he consistently declined antidepressant medication. In early January 2020, he overdosed on prescription painkillers following relationship breakdown and worsening back pain, requiring hospital admission. He was discharged to outpatient care with Dr McArthur and community counselling arranged. Despite appearing positive and future-focused at a counselling appointment on 7 January, he became acutely distressed following a café meeting on 13 January where he expressed emotional pain regarding his back condition and relationship loss. He died by suicide the following morning. The coroner found his medical care was appropriate throughout, with no deficiencies in psychiatric or general practice management, though his refusal of pharmacological treatment limited therapeutic options.
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Specialties
psychiatrygeneral practiceemergency medicinepain medicine
Drugs involved
diazepam
Clinical conditions
major depressive disordersocial phobia/social anxiety disorderagoraphobiachronic back paininsomniaopioid/painkiller overdose (New Year's Day 2020)
Procedures
spinal surgery
Contributing factors
chronic depression with social phobia since age 18
chronic back pain following spinal surgery
recent relationship breakdown
refusal of antidepressant medication
social isolation and agoraphobia
loss of ability to participate in physical activities (karate, music performance)
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