Determinants of Suicidal Attempts of Wives of Substance Abusers

One hundred and fifty seven suicide attempters who were the wives of substance abusers were interviewed with the help of a self innovated proforma that was designed to explore the causative factors for their suicidal behaviour. These subjects were selected from the Intensive Medical Care Unit of Government Stanley Hospital, Chennai. Some of the family and personal problems encountered by them that were attributable to their husbands' behaviour, such as disturbed relationship with the relatives (84.7%), being manhandled by their husbands (79.5%), financial problems (76.4%) and deprivation of emotional support and love (51%), were scarecely different from those noted in other reports on attempted suicide.Nonetheless, besides the fighting behaviour of their spouses with others (58.6%), the influence of the symptoms of delusional jealousy (24.8%) and suicidal ideas (14,0%) manifested by their husbands as driving forces for their suicidal behaviour might be of specific relevance to this group of suicide attempters. The cultural influence on the behaviour of our women in response to these psychiatric symptoms of their husbands has been highlighted.