Of 886 patients in Edinburgh who attempted suicide, 21% made serious attempts & 79% nonserious attempts. One-year follow-up revealed that patients making serious attempts had more than twice the suicide rate of the other group. The author feels that patients with depression or insomnia, or both, plus 3 or more other high-risk signs-older than 40 years; married; recently separated; widowed, retired, or living alone; middle class; good employment record-should be taken seriously and treated.(DD)