SELF-POISONING - COMPLICATION OF EPILEPSY

From 1972 to 1976 130 epileptics presented 171 times as medical emergencies with self-poisoning. They constituted 3.5% of 3,733 patients poisoning themselves on 4,121 occasions. Repetition of self-poisoning was more common in epileptics (18.5%) then in non-epileptics (7.0%). The 130 epileptics have been compared with a non-epileptic group of self-poisoners matched for age, sex, and recidivism and have been found to have less alcohol excess but significantly more psychopathy. Possible explanations and prophylactic measures are discussed. In view of the relative incidence of epilepsy and self-poisoning in the community, and of epilepsy among self-poisoners in this and other studies, it is concluded that self-poisoning is a common complication of epilepsy.