[Attempted suicide among teenagers and young adults].

The aim of the study was to present the phenomenon of suicide attempts by self-poisoning in a group of females and males ranging in age from 15 to 29 years, and treated in the Department of Clinical Toxicology Jagiellonian University College of Medicine in Kraków in the years 2000-2002. The group analyzed comprised of 1117 patients, 629 (69.1%) women and 425 (38.1%) men. In the female group, teenagers under 19 constituted 48.9%, whereas young females ranging in age from 20 to 29 years--51.1%. In the male patients group teenagers under 19 constituted 29.4%, the young men (20-29 years of age)--70.6%. The group was analyzed from the point of view of demographic, clinical and social factors such as gender, age, level of education, marital status and occupation (if applicable), the course of self-poisoning and kind of toxic substance involved. In the majority of cases, self-poisoning had been caused by taking one type of medicines, and less frequently by taking mixed-type medicines or by simultaneously taking medicines and ethanol. The most typical drugs used in the attempts included benzodiazepines, phenothiazines, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory and antiepileptic drugs. The assessment of the poisoning severity based on the PSS classification, indicates the predominance of the minor and moderate poisoning. Up to 50% of subjects suffered from mental disorders--most frequently from affective disorders, neurotic disorders, and personality disorders. As an essential part of the problem of suicidal behaviors in teenagers and young adults, suicide attempts among young population require an in-depth analysis. The scale of the problem indicates the necessity of initiating appropriate preventive actions and organizing appropriate psychological and psychiatric care.