Another ‘deliberate self-harm’: attempting suicide by overdose

As an experienced GP routinely doing shifts in a busy city emergency department, as well as from personal experiences, you are very aware of the issue of DSH – deliberate self harm. It is mystifying to you that suicide is responsible for 22% of deaths among young people in such a great place to live as Australia. Boys kill themselves some four times as often as girls but girls make up to ten times more suicide attempts than boys.

Today, a drowsy, well-dressed 18-year-old girl is brought in by ambulance – you and the team methodically and in a semi-detached manner begin to assess yet another overdose.