Retrospectively assessed all admissions to the psychiatry unit at King Fahd Hospital of the University Al-Khobar in Saudi Arabia during 1988-1989. Case notes were examined, and diagnostic categories and sociodemographic categories were noted for 206 patients, 100 males and 106 females. Most of the patients were aged 15-34 yrs, and the most common diagnosis was depression (35%). Other diagnoses included schizophrenia (22.8%), acute psychosis (8.2%), hysteria (3.9%), and anxiety states (2.9%). 10 patients had attempted suicide.