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The British Journal of Psychiatry 167: 448-451 (1995)
© 1995 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Nine suicide pacts. A clinical study of a consecutive series 1974-93

M Brown, E King and B Barraclough
Department of Psychiatry, University of Southampton, Royal South Hants Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Suicide pacts are rarely discussed in the medical literature. We report here the medical and social aspects of a consecutive series of double or pact suicides. METHOD: Coroners' records were examined for 722 consecutive suicides. Data were extracted from them and from medical and psychiatric records. RESULTS: Nine pacts (2.5% of suicides) were located: 11 of the 18 people appeared to have been mentally ill at the time of death and three more had a history of mental illness. Five had a significant medical history (three cancer). CONCLUSIONS: Mental disorder is common in those who enter suicide pacts (mainly depression, with alcohol dependence rare). Motivations for suicide appear to be relief of mental disorder and pain.


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