The occurrence of suicide in severe depression related to the months of the year and the days of the week.

• The purpose of the present study was to investigate the distribution of suicide during the months of the year and the days of the week in severe depression. A total of 1206 in-patients rated at discharge from the Department of Psychiatry, Lund, Sweden, on a multiaxial diagnostic schedule received the diagnosis severe depression/melancholia between 1956 to 1969. When followed up to 1998, a total of 114 depressed patients had taken their own life. Out of these, 98 patients appeared to have a primary depression. The monthly distribution of suicides showed a significant peak in October/November for men (41 % of all male suicides). No correlation with the onset of depression could be detected. Furthermore, there was a preponderance of suicide on Sundays for both sexes (31 % of all suicides).

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Psykiatri (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Psychiatry (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)