Examined factors contributing to suicide attempts by overdose in 22 epileptics (aged 14-59 yrs) & 44 controls. Attempts in epileptics seemed to be associated with interictal psychopathologic features such as borderline personality disorder with impulsive suicide gestures or affective-paranoid psychotic behavior. In most epileptic attempts, there was no direct relation to: psychosocial problems associated with epilepsy, specific seizure variables, anticonvulsant medications or major depression.