Lecture 11.2: Suicide Awareness Flashcards
How many people die by suicide every year?
- Approximately 700,000 people
Risk Factors for Suicide (15)
- Hopelessness
- Impulsivity
- Substance Misuse
- Chronic Health Problems
- Neuroticism
- Social Isolation
- Childhood and Adulthood Adversity/Trauma
- Mental Health 5-15%
- Stress
- Unemployment
- Being Incarcerated
- Occupation
- Family History
- Over 45 years old
- Gender (M)
Protective Factors for Suicide (9)
- Optimism
- Future Thinking
- Goal Adjustment
- Reasons for Living
- Social Support
- Good Health
- Exercise
- Religion/Faith
- Fear of Finality
Red Flags for Suicidal Ideation (15)
- Hoarding Medication
- Repeat requests for medications
- Turning up/calling out of hours
- Making and not keeping appts
- Isolation and withdrawal
- Talking about wanting to die
- Researching ways to kill oneself
- Visiting/calling to say goodbye
- References to hopelessness or feeling as if life
has no purpose - Feelings of being a burden to others
- Increased alcohol or drug use
- Sleep changes - excessive sleep or insomnia
- Anxiety, agitation or recklessness
- Giving away valuables or making a Will
- Relief/sudden improvement
Suicide in Older adults (>60)
- Their risk of suicide was 67 times greater
than older adults in the general population - Men aged 75 years and over had the highest
suicide rate
ALGEE Acronym
A: Assess for risk of suicide or harm
L: Listen non-judgmentally
G: Give reassurance and information
E: Encourage appropriate professional help
E: Encourage self-help and other support
strategies
Management of Suicidal Ideation (as doctor): Acute (7)
- Call their GP
- Get them to A+E
- Mental Health Team
- Community Crisis Teams
- Police
- Signpost to Samaritans
- Where are they, who is there, does anyone
else know, how can they be reached
Management of Suicidal Ideation: Long-Term (5)
- Active follow up with GP
- Referral to Psychiatry
- Counselling
- Signpost for financial support
- Samaritans which has a 24/7 helpline 116
123
What can patients dealing with suicidal thoughts do? (5)
- Call 111/999
- Call Samaritans
- GP
- Go to ED
- Call their MH Team
Under what act can you detain patients?
Under the Mental Health Act 1983 you can detain someone voluntarily or against their will for urgent treatment of a mental disorder that puts themselves or others at risk
What is Sectioning?
Means that you are kept in hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983 (involuntary)
Sectioning: Section 2
Is for assessment and possibly treatment for up to 28 days
Sectioning: Section 3
Is for treatment up to 6 months
Sectioning: Section 5
Doctors and nurses can detain briefly until a ‘detention section’ takes place
Sectioning: Section 136
Police can detain and take to a designated place of safety
Often a police station, can be a 136 suite often found in hospitals
