This paper describes suicide & deliberate self-harm in the Highlands of Scotland over the last 20 years & explores possible reasons for the differences from the Scottish average. Highland suicide rates are elevated compared to the rest of Scotland, which is argued to be the result of an excess of deaths in men up to the age of 74 years, although male attempted suicide rates do not differ from Scotland. The authors conclude that lethality of method may contribute to the elevated male death rates. (24 refs)