Prevention of Suicide

Question 1

What is suicide ideation?

Answer 1

Thoughts about an act of self-harm or suicide
Wishing to kill oneself
Making plans of when, where and how
Thoughts about the impact of one’s death on others

Question 2

What is self harm?

Answer 2

Any form of intentional self poisoning or self injury

Regardless of motivation or the degree of intention to die

Question 3

What does the coroner look at when deciding if death was suicide?

Answer 3

Act was self-inflicted

Death was intended outcome

Question 4

List reasons for self harm.

Answer 4

Trying to get help 
Finding one's thoughts unbearable
Escape from terrible state of mind 
Wanting to die 
Get away from unbearable situation 
To communicate to others the extent of distress

Question 5

What are distal risk factors?

Answer 5

Foundation upon which suicidal behaviour is built

Question 6

What are proximal risk factors?

Answer 6

More closely related to the event and can act as precipitants

Question 7

List the multiple categories of risk factors.

Answer 7

Genetic and biological 
Social and demographic 
Family 
Abuse
Previous self harm 
Psychiatric morbidity 
Personality traits 
Environmental factors 
Media coverage

Question 8

List the factors contributing to social and demographic risk.

Answer 8

Age - elderly, teens 
Gender - male 
Ethnicity - Maori 
Being out of education
Low SES 
Poverty 
Homelessness/moving often 
Migration (detention)/refugees
Poor school performance and exclusion

Question 9

List family characteristics which contribute to suicide risk.

Answer 9

Suicidal behaviour
Poor parental mental health
Parental conflict
High control, low warmth parenting style

Question 10

List personality traits that predispose an individual to suicide.

Answer 10

Dichotomous (nothing or all) thinking 
Problem solving deficits 
Negative biases in future judgement 
External locus of control 
Disengagement as coping style
Irritability and impulsivity

Question 11

List the environmental factors contributing to risk.

Answer 11

Peers- having a friend who died by suicide, dense social networks protect against suicide
Methods - cultural variation, accessibility of method, gender patterns

Question 11

List the environmental factors contributing to risk.

Answer 11

Peers- having a friend who died by suicide, dense social networks protect against suicide
Methods - cultural variation, accessibility of method, gender patterns