A rating scale to gauge the lifethreatening severity of suicidal behavior in a series of 99 patients making 101 suicidal attempts with sedatives was formed from gradings of depth of coma, physical danger, and apparent intent found with the self-poisoning. The patients diagnosed as suffering from a depressive illness had a significantly higher mean rating (9.6 ± 0.4) by this scale than individuals diagnosed as personality disorder (5.2 ± 0.31). Since among self poisoning individuals those with depressive illness expose themselves to a greater likelihood of death, greater attention might be paid to advertising the diagnosis, dangers, and treatability of depressive illness in public programs attempting to prevent suicide.