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SIDNEY COHEN, MD; CALISTA V. LEONARD, MA; NORMAN L. FARBEROW, PhD; EDWIN S. SHNEIDMAN, PhD

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1964;11(3):312-321.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

Introduction

Soon after the introduction of reserpine and chlorpromazine a decade ago questions arose concerning the relationship between the tranquilizing drugs and suicide. A number of clinicians have reported an increased incidence of suicide in drug-treated patients. Reserpine and other rauwolfia compounds were particularly suspect. Even in the small doses employed to treat hypertension, depression was noted in 15%-25% of the patients.^1,2 However, it was also recognized that the drug was only one contributory factor in the affectual change. Perfectionistic, obsessive-compulsive personalities seemed predisposed to depression. In Ayd's opinion³ the depression had sometimes existed prior to treatment but had not been diagnosed. In other instances he described "pseudo-depressions" in which the drug's pharmacologic action induced lethargy, psychomotor retardation, and anergy. Bernstein and Kaufman⁴ believed that the increased passivity of the reserpine-treated patient produced affectual blunting in certain patients vulnerable to . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Author Affiliations
LOS ANGELES

From the Veterans Administration Center, Los Angeles (90025).

Footnotes
Submitted for publication Jan 29, 1964.

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