Selvmordsforsøg, diagnose og behandling

Abstract

In the 8-month period 15 February to 15 October 1989, 195 patients who had attempted suicide were referred to the Psychiatric Department, Odense University Hospital. Median age was 37 years, and the sex ratio (female/male) was 1.5. In most of the cases (79%) the method was poisoning by medicine. No or very little danger was involved in 3/4 of the attempts. Sixteen per cent of the patients had a psychosis. About 1/3 had personality disorders, and another third were alcohol or medicine abusers. The psychotic patients received the most extensive treatment, both after the suicide attempt and on earlier admissions. Patients with personality disorders were given more psychotherapy than the other patients and constituted the patient category making repeated attempts. Patients who had tried to commit suicide were socially a very strained group. Only about a fifth of the patients had an income from employment, whereas the others lived on public assistance, and more than 50% lived alone. With regard to life conditions, the suicide attempters did not differ significantly from other patients who used the psychiatric emergency department.

Key Words:

• Attempted suicide
• Psychiatric diagnosis
• Treatment modalities