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Clinical features of alcoholic suicide attempters/ non-attempters

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Meena Agarwal  and
Keith Gaskell
Meena Agarwal*
Affiliation:
Fleming Nuffield Unit, Burdon Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne
Keith Gaskell
Affiliation:
Lancaster Moor Hospital, Lancaster
*
Correspondence: Dr Meena Agarwal, 46 Larkhill Cottages, Old Langho, Blackburn BB6 8AR
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Abstract

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A cross-sectional study of 74 consecutive alcoholic patients admitted to a subregional alcohol treatment unit examines the socio-demographic and clinical differences between those who had/had not attempted suicide, and investigates their relationships to current suicidal ideation. The suicide attempters were significantly younger, separated and unemployed. They began regular drinking earlier, were more severely dependent and had a higher proportion of major depression, antisocial personality disorder and another drug abuse. The results suggest a high incidence of suicidal behaviour in alcoholics and high psychiatric comorbidity in alcoholics who attempt suicide.

Type
Original Papers
Information
Psychiatric Bulletin , Volume 20 , Issue 11 , November 1996 , pp. 656 - 659
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
Copyright © 1996 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

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