An empirical study of borderline personality disorder and psychiatric suicides

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is closely related to suicidal behavior, and suicide attempts per se are considered a diagnostic criterion. However, there has been no previous study of completed suicides and BPD. The present study is based on a population of 134 consecutive psychiatric suicides from 1961 to 1980 in a catchment area of 250,000 inhabitants. Clinical records were retrospectively diagnosed according to the Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines and DSM-III. There was a progressive increase in proportion of borderline suicides during the time period. The overall proportion of BPD, however, was only 12%, indicating that borderline patients are not seriously overrepresented among patients committing psychiatric suicides. Demographic variables, earlier psychiatric care, and suicidal behavior in the borderline group are described and analyzed.