PSYCHIATRIC AND TOXICOLOGICAL PROFILE OF PATIENTS ATTEMPTING SUICIDE BROUGHT TO A TERTIARY CARE CENTER IN CAPITAL CITY OF DELHI

Manjeet Singh Bhatia* and Narender Kumar Aggarwal

ABSTRACT

Every year, almost 1 million people commit suicide worldwide. It is about 1.5% of all deaths, making suicide the 10th leading cause of death globally. Suicide is among the three leading cause of death among those aged 15-44 years in some countries and the second leading cause of death in the 10-24 years’ age group. India’s contribution to global suicide deaths increased from 25·3% in 1990 to 36·6% in 2016 among women, and from 18·7% to 24·3% among men. 50 consecutive cases (duration two years) of attempted suicide who had consumed pesticide brought to the emergency of the hospital and admitted subsequently in the medicine ward were taken up for the study. There were 34 (68%) females and 16 (32%) males. 20 to 25 years were the commonest age-group (56%). Home was the commonest place of committing suicide (90%). The most common compound used was aluminum phosphide. Mixed anxiety and depressive disorder was commonest psychiatric illness (32%) followed by unipolar depression (24%). Repeat attempters (34%) had a family history of psychiatric illness and suicide, recent trauma, had experienced stressful life events and had expressed suicidal ideas.

Keywords: Suicide, Attempters, Repeaters, Toxicological Profile, Psychiatric Disorders, Etiology.