Suicide in Male Alcoholics with Peptic Ulcers

Abstract

Eighty-seven male alcoholics with peptic ulcers and 913 without peptic ulcers were first admitted to the Department of Psychiatry of Lund, Sweden during the period 1956-1969. In the initial ratings rigidity/perfectionism, strain/tenseness, sleep disturbances, the asthenic syndrome, and hereditary for alcoholism/personality disturbances/suicide were more frequent in the peptic ulcer group than in the others. Patients with peptic ulcers were more often married and less often unmarried or showed antisocial/criminal indications of antisocially/criminality. A follow-up by records was performed on January 1, 1981. Seventeen percent in the peptic ulcer group and 6% in the other group had committed suicide (p < 0.001). Mortality (suicides excluded) was similar in the two groups as was the social adjustment among the survivors. Within the peptic ulcer group strain/tenseness was significantly related to future suicide, while operation, hereditary, and rigidity/perfectionism were not.