Psychiatric and social aspects of poisoning

62 admissions of drug overdose were randomly referred by the Department of Medicine for psychiatric assessment. The majority were young unmarried females attempting suicide as a reaction to social and personal stress. Psychiatric and mental disorders were diagnosed in only 13 cases of which depression was the commonest. Sedatives and Tranquilisers were the drugs most commonly used. This study emphasises the importance of psychiatric assessment in patients with self poisoning to detect those who require psychiatric and social care and calls for actions to minimize drug abuse