Self‐poisoning patients and their relatives or friends were interviewed following admission to a general hospital. Events involving a key person, especially quarrels, were common in the two days preceding the overdose. Quarrels were more common events in women than men. It is argued that the frequency of quarrels supports the idea that hostility is important in the motivation of self‐poisoners. It is hypothesized that differences in the frequency of key events and those under and over 36 years might arise from depressive illness being more frequently found in the older group.