[Substance dependence and suicide in hospitalized patients. A description].

OBJECTIVE

The research group "Suicide and Psychiatric Hospital" has studied inpatient suicides in psychiatric hospitals in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria (Germany) from 1970-1996. Whereas suicides in depression and schizophrenia are described very well, a description of addicted inpatients who committed suicide is still missing.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We studied the data of substance dependent patients of the collective of 726 inpatient suicides.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

Among the generally rare suicides of addicted inpatiens--33 of 726--about 81% were alcohol dependent. The frequency of suicide in this group of patients decreased from 6.7% in the years 1970-1984 to 1.4% between 1990 and 1996. Whereas the age remained more or less stable in the middle of the fifth decade, the time from hospitalisation until suicide shortened from 192 days (mean) to 52 days. Suicide of alcohol dependent and poly-drug-abusing patients today almost exclusively takes place during treatment on an open station and among patients being in treatment on a voluntary basis. Suicide attempts in the anamnesis are extraordinarily rare in alcohol dependent suiciders.