The problem of early diagnosis of possible suicidal outcomes in patients is of paramount importance in the treatment & prevention of suicidal trends. Such diagnosis is possible on the basis of observations of mental mechanisms & anamnestic data, which become valuable criteria before the suicidal tendency comes out fully in the trend of the patient. Suicides can be differentiated on the basis of the mental mechanisms, this proving that there are many psychologic types of suicide. (8 refs.)