Ch. 11: Suicide Prevention Flashcards
What is suicide? Why does it happen?
- It is not a diagnosis. It is a behavior.
- More than 90% of suicides are by individuals who have a mental disorder.
Epidemiological factors
- suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S.
- Majority that take their lives are white males
- Guns are the 1st cause in America of suicide.
- Over a million attempt suicide
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study
Links childhood trauma with suicide risk factors and suicide attempts later in life. A score of 7 or higher greatly increases chances of suicide attempt.
Risk factors for suicide
- Marital status
- Gender
- Age. Risk increases with age. Particularly with men.
- Religion
- SES
- Ethnicity
Risk factors for suicide cont.
- Psychiatric illness: Mood and substance disorders are the most common psychiatric illnesses that precede suicide.
- Higher rates with schizophrenia, personality disorders, and anxiety disorders.
- Severe insomnia is associated with increased risk of suicide
Other suicide risk factors
- Alcohol and barbiturates
- Psychosis with command hallucinations
- Affliction with chronic, painful, or debilitating illness
- Family hist of suicide
- LGBTQ individuals have a higher risk of suicide.
Does having a history of suicide attempts increase or decrease the chances of someone attempting suicide again?
It increases the chances.
Psyc. Theories of suicide
- Anger turned inward
- Hopelessness
- Desperation and guilt
- History of aggression and violence
- Shame and humiliation
Bio. theories of suicide
- Genetics
- Neurochemical factors
4 big suicide risk factors
- prior suicide attempt
- Mood disorders
- Substance abuse
- Access to lethal means
Suicide warning signs
- Threatening to harm self
- seeking means
- Hopelessness
- Inc. substance abuse
- Mood changes
Assessment for suicide. Questions and info we need to know.
- Suicidal ideas or acts
- Seriousness or intent?
- Do they have a plan?
- Do they have a possible means?
- Verbal and behavioral clues
- Do they have an interpersonal support system? If not then risk increases. People support each other!
Assessment in the patient that has attempted suicide.
- Analysis of the suicidal crisis
- Precipitating stressor
- relevant history or life stage issue?
- Psych/med/fam hist?
- Coping strategies?
- Presenting symptoms
Columbia-suicide severity rating scale
- C-SSRS
- Questionnaire used for suicide assessment.
A couple possible questions to ask a person who may be suicidal
- Have your problems been getting you down so much lately that you’ve been thinking of harming yourself?
- How would you harm yourself?
- The more they talk the better for us to know.
- There are many more questions on the slides.
