INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on completed suicides in Konya, Türkiye, using the psychological autopsy method, and to compare pre- and pandemic cases across demographics, risk factors, and associated causes.
METHODS: This cross-sectional, retrospective case-control study included all completed suicides in Konya, Türkiye, between March 11, 2018, and March 11, 2022. Cases after March 11, 2020, were classified as pandemic. Within the scope of the psychological autopsy method, data were collected from autopsy reports, prosecutor investigation files, medical records, suicide notes, and structured interviews with relatives the deceased. Statistical analyses were conducted using R software (version 4.4.2).
RESULTS: During the pandemic, the incidence rate of completed suicides increased by 25%. No significant differences in age or gender distribution were identified; however, the proportion of university graduates was higher in the pandemic group. The overall prevalence of psychiatric disorders and untreated cases increased significantly during the pandemic. Gambling-related debts and substance-related and addictive disorders were found to be more frequent. Firearm suicides showed a non-significant upward trend. Help-seeking before suicide decreased significantly. Most pandemic cases had sleep disturbances (56.93%) and financial loss (44.93%).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The pandemic period increased the risks associated with suicidal behavior and accentuated context-specific vulnerabilities. The findings indicate that psychiatric patients may be more vulnerable during crises and underscore the importance of support services. Accordingly, strengthening financial support, restricting access to online gambling, and expanding psychoeducational interventions are recommended as priority preventive strategies.

INTRODUCTION: Earthquakes and their consequences are associated with social, economical, and psychological difficulties. This study aimed to evaluate the psychological stress and psychological resilience levels of people who applied to Eskişehir Osmangazi University Disaster Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic (DPOC) 6 months after the February 6, 2023 earthquakes and to review the predictors.
METHODS: In the first phase of the study, the sociodemographic and clinical data form records applied to the individuals who applied to DPOC were retrospectively evaluated. In the second phase of the study, the participants were applied the Depression Anxiety Stress-21 Scale (DASS-21) and the Brief Psychological Resilience Scale (BRS) 6 months after the earthquake.
RESULTS: In the first phase of the research, 68 people were included and 42 of them participated in the second phase. In the 6th month of the disaster, 59.5% of the participants scored moderate or higher on the depression subscale, 42.9% on the anxiety scale, and 31% on the stress scale. Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI) scores during the first evaluation correlated with the anxiety subscale score, total DASS-21 score. CGI score at the first application was negatively related to resilience score in follow-up. BRS score was negatively correlated with total DASS-21 score.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Providing psychosocial support in the post-disaster period is important to prevent mental disorders and increase psychological resilience. Also, identifying risky groups and monitoring the follow-up and treatment processes of these individuals is an important factor to reduce the associated morbidity.

INTRODUCTION: This study aims to examine the relationship between the severity of addiction and levels of criminal thinking in individuals diagnosed with substance use disorder. Additionally, it seeks to determine whether addiction severity predicts crime-related cognitive patterns.
METHODS: Conducted within a cross-sectional and quantitative research design, the study involved 198 inpatients receiving treatment at a public hospital in Istanbul. All participants were diagnosed with substance use disorder according to DSM-5 criteria. Data were collected using the Addiction Profile Index (API) and the Criminal Thinking Scale (CTS). The data were analyzed through Pearson correlation and simple linear regression techniques.
RESULTS: Analyses revealed a weak but statistically significant positive correlation between addiction severity and criminal thinking levels (r =.185; p <.01). In particular, the subdimensions of “entitlement,” “power orientation,” and “criminal rationalization” were significantly associated with addiction severity. The regression model indicated that addiction severity significantly predicted criminal thinking (β =.371; p <.05); however, the explanatory power of the model was limited (R² =.03).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that as addiction severity increases, individuals are more likely to exhibit cognitive patterns associated with criminality. This highlights the importance of addressing not only behavioral aspects but also cognitive tendencies during addiction treatment processes, underscoring the need for a holistic intervention approach.

INTRODUCTION: Dating violence is common and important however preventable public health. Many studies show that both men and women are widely affected. According to studies done in Turkey, the ratio of being exposed to violence or abuse in a dating relationship changes up to 85.3%. Our objective was to evaluate the prevalence of dating violence and the attitudes and its affecting factors among healthcare university students.

METHODS: A total of 908 students were included in the analyses. Univarite and multivariate analysis were carried out.
RESULTS: Of the participants, 36.6% had never heard of the concept of dating violence. The prevalence of exposure to dating violence was 33.6%, the prevalence of perpetration was 17.8% in past relationships; the rate of those who are exposed is 10.1% and the rate of those who perpetrated dating violence is 6.7% in their current relationships. Psychological dating violence was the type of dating violence that was committed and exposed the most in both current and past relationships. Women, students at the clinical education level, and students from upper social class had unfavorable attitudes toward dating violence more. Those who did not witness dating violence in their close circle of friends had better attitudes toward dating violence. Witnesses of domestic violence had statistically significant favorable attitude towards psychological dating violence more than of those who did not. Only one of the 232 people stated that they applied to the official authorities when exposed to dating violence.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: It is alarming that one in three medical and health sciences students, who should be among the primary people who need to take action against violence in the future, have never heard of dating violence.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to adapt the Short UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale (S-UPPS-P), which assesses five core dimensions of impulsivity (negative urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, sensation seeking, and positive urgency), into Turkish and to evaluate its psychometric properties in a Turkish adult sample.
METHODS: The study was conducted with 304 adult participants aged 18–48. The adaptation process followed standard procedures, including translation, back-translation, and assessment of linguistic equivalence. Construct validity was examined using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Discriminant and criterion validity were assessed using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 Short Form, the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale, and items evaluating impulsive behaviors in daily life. Reliability was evaluated via internal consistency and split-half methods.
RESULTS: The five-factor structure of the S-UPPS-P was consistent with the original version and demonstrated excellent model fit in confirmatory factor analysis (χ²/df = 2.40, RMSEA =.07, CFI =.92). The scale showed high internal consistency (α =.85). S-UPPS-P scores were significantly associated with everyday impulsive behavior patterns, and correlations with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale and the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale supported criterion validity.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The Turkish version of the S-UPPS-P was found to be a valid and reliable tool for assessing multidimensional impulsivity in adults. By including the positive urgency dimension and offering a brief format, the scale provides a comprehensive yet time-efficient option for use in both research and clinical settings.

Secondary traumatic stress (STS) is an increasingly recognized mental health concern among professionals working with trauma survivors. Although STS shares symptomatic overlap with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), its etiology is rooted not in direct trauma exposure but in empathic engagement with traumatized individuals in the course of professional responsibilities. This crucial conceptual distinction is often neglected in both the mental health literature and clinical settings. This narrative review explores the theoretical underpinnings, diagnostic challenges, and psychosocial consequences of STS, with a particular focus on professionals operating in disaster zones. Drawing on models such as compassion fatigue, vicarious traumatization, and ecological frameworks, the review conceptualizes STS as an outcome of the dynamic interaction between individual vulnerability, professional exposure, and contextual stressors. Risk factors are discussed across three levels: individual (e.g., young age, female gender, personal trauma history), occupational (e.g., lack of supervision, limited field experience), and event-based (e.g., exposure to emotionally intense cases, witnessing grief and loss). Despite the growing empirical interest in STS, much of the existing literature is based on cross-sectional designs and lacks culturally adapted assessment tools with robust psychometric properties. Furthermore, STS is frequently treated solely as a clinical condition, while its structural and ethical implications for professional sustainability and care quality remain underexamined. This review highlights the necessity of addressing STS as a systemic occupational risk that requires early recognition, theoretical clarity, culturally sensitive screening instruments, and institutional-level interventions such as trauma-informed supervision and workload support. A comprehensive understanding of STS, informed by multidimensional models and longitudinal data, is critical to safeguarding the mental well-being of professionals exposed to secondary trauma.

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is an uncommon type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma confined to the central nervous system, presenting with diverse clinical manifestations, including neuropsychiatric symptoms. This case report describes the diagnostic process of PCNSL in a 76-year-old patient with bipolar disorder type II, who had been in long-term remission, presenting with a depressive episode accompanied by rapidly progressive cognitive impairment and psychotic symptoms following a sudden and traumatic personal loss. The case highlights the challenges in diagnosing PCNSL when psychiatric symptoms dominate the clinical presentation. Additionally, potential risk factors for PCNSL, the association between tumor characteristics and neuropsychiatric symptoms, as well as current insights into prognosis, have been reviewed to facilitate the planning of a multidisciplinary treatment approach.

Pediatric obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) frequently presents with comorbid psychiatric disorders and may show limited response to first-line interventions such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The day treatment model, which provides structured, intensive, and multidisciplinary care, is particularly effective for such complex, treatment-resistant cases. This case report presents a 16-year-old female with severe OCD and comorbid skin picking disorder, trichotillomania, hoarding disorder, and major depressive disorder. She had early-onset symptoms, a history of suicide attempts and severe functional impairment. Due to insufficient clinical improvement in outpatient follow-up, she was subsequently admitted to a day clinic. She received comprehensive treatment, including pharmacotherapy (SSRI, antipsychotics, and N-acetylcysteine), CBT, milieu therapy, group therapy, and family psychoeducation/counseling. Following eight weeks of treatment in the day clinic, significant clinical improvement was observed. This case highlights the effectiveness of day treatment in managing severe pediatric OCD with comorbidities. The intensive, multimodal approach led to symptom reduction, improved functioning, and increased self-esteem. Additionally, N-acetylcysteine, which is not commonly used in pediatric psychiatry, appeared to contribute to improvements in skin picking and hair pulling behaviors in this case. This suggests that N-acetylcysteine is a promising option that warrants further investigation. This case report highlights the important role of day clinics in the management of complex psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents, and underscores the need to expand this model, which is currently available in only one center in Türkiye, nationwide.

The rising number of child and adolescent psychiatry referrals, along with the growing use of medications for mental health problems, has led to an increased incidence of drug-induced parkinsonism (DIP). This report aims to document a patient with DIP, which is rarely seen in child and adolescent psychiatry clinical practice, and to present the successful treatment of this patient with amantadine. Amantadine represents an evidence-based pharmacologic option for treating drug-induced parkinsonism.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome is a rare but potentially fatal condition associated with the use of medications that affect the central dopaminergic system. It is characterized by symptoms such as hyperthermia, musclular rigidity, confusion, and autonomic instability. This case report presents a female patient diagnosed with schizophrenia who was initially treated with zuclopenthixol depot but could not tolerate its side effects. Therefore, her treatment was switched to long-acting injectable aripiprazole. Fifteen days after the administration of long-acting injectable aripiprazole, she presented to the emergency department with classic symptoms of neuroleptic malignant syndrome including fever, musclular rigidity, altered consciousness, hypertension, and hypersalivation. The clinical course of the case is described, and the findings are discussed in light of the existing literature.