| Abstract: | This paper presents lifetime prevalence rates of suicide attempts in a sample of 533 treated opiate addicts and evaluates clinical characteristics of those who report having made a suicide attempt. In this sample, 17.3% reported having made at least one suicide attempt, a rate which is over 4 times higher than that found in a community survey. When compared with addicts without a history of suicide attempts, those who had attempted suicide reported more drug overdoses, and had a clinical profile characterized by fewer resources and greater liabilities. Compared with other addicts, suicide attempters had a childhood history of more severe family disturbance and disruptive behavior, a higher rate of depression and alcoholism in the family, a history of heavier alcohol, sedative and amphetamine abuse, higher rates of psychiatric disorders, especially of depression and severe personality disorders, and poorer social and psychological functioning. |
