Diagnosis-Specific Mortality: Primary Unipolar Depression and Briquet’s Syndrome (Somatization Disorder)

This article examines the specific psychiatric diagnosis of excess mortality rates, & the reasons for such high rates. It also examines hysteria & the excess mortality in Briquet’s syndrome patients. The article notes that patients with Briquet’s syndrome had a history of suicidal attempts, 72% having such suicidal thoughts. Also hysterics were as likely to have made a recent suicide attempt, as were carefully matched patients with depression. The article concludes with death rates for various psychiatric disorders. (43 refs) (AK)