Who Calls the Suicide Prevention Center: A Study of 55 Persons Calling on Their Own Behalf
GEORGE E. MURPHY M.D.1,
RICHARD D. WETZEL ,
CAROLYN S. SWALLOW , , and
JAMES N. MCCLURE JR. M.D.2
1 Professor, department of psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 4940 Audubon Ave., St. Louis, Mo. 63110
2 Assistant professor, department of psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 4940 Audubon Ave., St. Louis, Mo. 63110
The authors report their experience with a suicide prevention center. Most people calling the center on their own behalf were psychiatrically ill, and two-thirds were chronically so. Four-fifths of the callers had had previous professional attention for their disturbances. Over half had made previous suicide attempts. Depressed mood was the most characteristic motive for calling, while acute interpersonal crises were surprisingly infrequent. Although the callers were predominantly younger women—more like suicide attempters than successful suicides—a substantial number appeared to present significant risk.
