The characteristics of the presuicidal phase & the precipitants of suicidal actions were investigated in a sample of 112 male Norwegian conscripts. One-half of the subjects had shown behavioural signs such as isolation or aggression, over 80% displayed psychiatric symptoms. A majority verbally expressed their psychic problems, but few had explicity stated suicidal ideas. Two major clusters of suicide precipitants were identified: loss trauma & some sort of conflict situation. (16 refs.)