Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Use of antidepressants in deliberate self-poisoning

Psychiatric diagnoses and drugs used between 1987 and 1997 in Lund, Sweden

  • ORIGINAL PAPER
  • Published:
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract.

Objective:

Based on the increased prescription of antidepressants, the aim of this study was to analyse the changes in self-poisonings with antidepressants during the period 1987–1997.

Methods:

A total of 909 patients who were admitted to hospital after deliberate self-poisoning were investigated regarding psychiatric diagnoses and drugs ingested.

Results:

In the whole group, there was no significant change in the rate of antidepressant overdoses between 1987 and 1990 (20%) and 1995 and 1997 (17 %), but among females with a mood disorder overdoses decreased from 43% to 22% (p = 0.01). The proportion of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in self-poisonings was significantly lower than expected from sales figures.

Conclusion:

The increased antidepressant sales have not caused an increased use of antidepressants in self-poisonings. It is, therefore, tempting to assume that an increased use of antidepressants for appropriate indications causes decreased self-poisoning rates.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Clinical Neuroscience, Division of Psychiatry, University Hospital, 22185, Lund, Sweden

    Jakob Bäckman, Carl-Johan Ekman, Margot Alsén & Lil Träskman-Bendz

  2. Dept. of Community Medicine, Lund University and the National Corporation of Swedish Pharmacies, Malmö, Sweden

    Anders Ekedahl

Authors
  1. Jakob Bäckman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Carl-Johan Ekman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Margot Alsén
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Anders Ekedahl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Lil Träskman-Bendz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lil Träskman-Bendz.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bäckman, J., Ekman, CJ., Alsén, M. et al. Use of antidepressants in deliberate self-poisoning. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 38, 684–689 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-003-0688-2

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-003-0688-2

Key words

Search

Navigation