Suicide with the motive "to die" or "not to die" and its socioanamnestic correlates

Ninety-six British patients retrospectively rated the intent underlying their recent suicide attempt: 36.5% indicated the intent was “to die”, 17.7% “not to die”, and 45.8% “did not mind”. These 3 groups did not differ with respect to a variety of socioanamnestic variables except the following: those wishing “to die” more frequently left a suicide letter than those who “did not mind”. The ratings of the patient's suicide intent (along the same 3 categories) by significant others were also unrelated to the socioanamnestic variables except history of psychiatric treatment: those with a psychiatric history were more frequently perceived as intending “to die” than “not to die”.