A Comparison of the Medical Lethality of Suicide Attempts in Bipolar and Major Depressive Disorders

Mood disordered suicide attempters were interviewed about Axis I & II diagnoses, lifetime history of suicide attempts, suicidal intent, suicide ideation, the medical lethality of their most severe suicide attempt, severity of depression, hopelessness, lifetime aggression, & impulsivity. The maximum lethality of suicidal acts tended to be higher among bipolar disorder attempters compared with those with major depressive disorder. However, there were no differences in the number of suicide attempts, intent to die, or suicide ideation. Males with bipolar disorder made more lethal suicide attempts than females with bipolar disorder, something not observed in the major depressive disorder sample. (45 refs.)