DEBT AND DELIBERATE SELF-POISONING

This study is a descriptive survey of financial difficulties in a cons ecutive series of patients who deliberately poisoned themselves. Over three months 160 such patients presented to the liaison psychiatry ser vice at Leeds General Infirmary. Information was available on 147 of t hese patients. of whom 54 (37%) had problem debts. Patients in debt we re more likely to harm themselves with greater suicidal intent and, af ter the episode, to report more symptoms of depression and hopelessnes s. Psychiatrists were more likely to diagnose mental illness in those in debt.