Parasuicide in an Arab industrial community: The Arabian‐American Oil Company experience, Saudi Arabia

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Abstract
ABSTRACT—The parasuicide phenomena was investigated for the first time in a retrospective and prospective way in an Arab industrial community in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia during 1985 and 1986. Though the parasuicide rate of 20.7 per 100,000 is substantially lower from the reported rates in the West, underreporting and misdiagnosing of the phenomena may explain the low rate. The results of this study confirm that the act is predominantly the activity of young females, and disordered interpersonal relationships with spouses and parents stand out as precipitating factors. Acute reaction to stress was the commonest diagnosis followed by depression. Deliberate self‐poisoning by analgesics and psychotropic drugs was the commonest method used. The findings of this study refute the hypothesis that parasuicide is rare in this part of the world, and time probably has come to amend the law in order to give the opportunity for distressed people to receive help.

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