Psychiatric Assessment of Suicide Attempters, Toxicological Factors and the Problem of Prediction

This paper, presented at a 1993 Suicide: Prevention & Prevention workshop, examines risk assessment problems & presents data on parasuicidal patients (drug overdose) assessed jointly by toxicology & psychiatry units at a hospital. Tables present discharge diagnosis for self-poisoning patients, & admission frequency & discharge destination for those with paychiatric disorder, by class of psychotropic drugs (Heterocyclic Antidepressants, Benzodiazepines, MAOIs, Neuroleptics & Anticonvulsants.