Panic and Suicidal Behaviour: Risk of Self-Harm in Patients who Complain of Panic

Several outcome studies of neurosis have reported mortality to be high – one cause appears to be suicide. Weissman et al (1989) reported that panic attacks/disorder were more closely linked to self-harm than other psychiatric conditions. This paper reviews these studies & others which have addressed the problem of comorbidity, e.g. additional diagnosis of depression. However, the arguments for comorbidity should not dismiss the dangers of parasuicide among patients with recurrent panic attacks.