Characteristics of alcoholics who attempt suicide.

Of 298 alcoholic subjects studied by the authors, 19% (N = 57) had attempted suicide. Compared with nonattempters, suicide attempters were significantly more likely to be female, to have a lower socioeconomic status, to be younger, to have begun heavy drinking and experienced the onset of alcohol-related problems at an earlier age, to consume a greater amount of alcohol when drinking, and to have additional lifetime psychiatric diagnoses of major depression, antisocial personality disorder, substance abuse, panic disorder, phobic disorder, or generalized anxiety disorder. Also, significantly more attempters had first- or second-degree relatives who abused alcohol.