SUICIDE AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY IN 1,537 PATIENTS DEPENDENT ON PRESCRIBEDPSYCHOACTIVE MEDICATIONS - STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN

The risk of suicide among patients hospitalized because of dependence on prescribed psychoactive medications was estimated among all 1,537 s uch patients in Stockholm, Sweden, over an 8-year period. The suicide standardized mortality ratio was 41.O among the women and 45.6 among t he men who were dependent on such medications alone. It was of a simil ar magnitude (50.4 and 30-6) among women and men with concurrent alcoh ol/street-drug abuse. Among all deaths, 38% were suicides. Primary and secondary psychiatric disorders were common. To reduce the suicide ri sk, professional treatment intervention should entail thorough diagnos tic assessment, behavioral/cognitive therapy, and a judicious use of p sychoactive medications for anxiety, affective, and personality disord ers.