Suicidal Behavior and Onset of Panic Disorder

To the Editor.—  Lelliott et al¹ reported in the November 1989 issue of the Archives that among patients with panic disorder (PD) with agoraphobia, more had their first panic in late spring and summer than in fall or winter.In an ongoing study of comorbidity of anxiety disorders, we assessed the mode and time of onset of panic in consecutive referrals for treatment of PD in our anxiety clinic. Furthermore, as Weissman et al² have recently reported in a study among the general population, that panic disorder and attacks are associated with an increased risk of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, we estimated the lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideations or suicide attempts in these patients. All the patients were interviewed with the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia—Lifetime Version (Modified for the Study of Anxiety Disorders),³ which is a semistructured and standardized interview allowing lifetime diagnoses