Self-harm and Suicidality

Question 1

Who is most likely to self-harm?

Answer 1

Young people
Young females
Young Asian females
LAC/YP
Prisoners

Question 2

Which conditions are most commonly associated with self-harm?

Answer 2

BPD
Depression
Bipolar
Schizophrenia
Drug/Alcohol misuse

Question 3

What is one of the top five causes of hospital admissions?

Answer 3

Self-harm

Question 4

What is the percentage of people who have attended hospital for self-harm that will go on to complete suicide?

Answer 4

1%

Question 5

What systemic issues need to be considered in self-harm behaviour?

Answer 5

Attitudes towards self-harm

Question 6

What are some of the psychological characteristics of people who self-harm?

Answer 6

Difficult to engage
Hostile
Internalised anger
Anxious/irritable
Poor coping strategies
Shame/guilt

Question 7

Why do people self-harm?

Answer 7

Emotional regulation
Communication
Control/punishment

Question 8

What is a better way of saying ‘attention seeking’?

Answer 8

care seeking

Question 9

What are some of the risk factors for self-harm?

Answer 9

Childhood trauma

Invalidation

Question 10

What is the best way to approach self-harm?

Answer 10

Acceptance and change

Question 11

What are some specific self-harm intervention-related strategies?

Answer 11

Delaying techniques
Linking strategies to current emotional state/function of self-harm
Alternatives
Psychoeducation about risks
Reduce access

Question 12

What do we need to be mindful of when working with self-harm?

Answer 12

Legal considerations
Risks and benefits
Intra and inter-personal impact

Question 13

What leads to hope?

Answer 13

Comfort and competence

Question 14

What is an alternative to talking about mental illness?

Answer 14

Talking about unhappiness/loneliness

Question 15

What is the main aim for working with self-harm?

Answer 15

Addressing the underlying issue - what are they trying to communicate?

Question 16

What are the two main messages we want to give from therapy?

Answer 16

You’re alright

It’s going to be alright

Question 17

Which gender is most likely to complete suicide?

Answer 17

Males

Question 18

Which age range is most likely to complete suicide?

Answer 18

45-74

Question 19

Who writes about gender and suicide?

Answer 19

Brent and Moritz (1996)

Question 20

List 4 factors which determine the choice of suicide method.

Answer 20

Availability/acceptability
Familiarity
Anticipated pain/messiness
Chances/consequences of failure

Question 21

What is one thing that might deter people from suicide?

Answer 21

Who might find the body?

Question 22

List 3 risk demographic factors for suicide.

Answer 22

Being in unskilled occupation/lower SES
Being in prison
Social isolation

Question 23

Who outlined a cognitive model of suicide?

Answer 23

Wenzel et al. (2009)

Question 24

Outline the cognitive model of suicide.

Answer 24

Life stress + Dispositional vulnerability => Suicide schema activated => Hopelessness and attentional fixation => Suicidal ideation => Suicide attempt

Question 25

List 4 questions for assessing risk of suicide.

Answer 25

Questioning about thoughts - intensity, frequency, severity
Intentions/plans
Previous attempts
Triggers

Question 26

What is a fifth key thing we need to know if we are questioning about suicide?

Answer 26

Protective factors

Question 27

What are the common elements to working with suicidality (Weinbereger, 2010)?

Answer 27

Clear framework for treatment
Management plan
Close attention to affect
Active therapist style
Exploratory AND change oriented interventions

Question 28

What can be a helpful intervention strategy for suicidality?

Answer 28

Training problem solving

Question 29

Who identified the common elements of working with suicidality?

Answer 29

Weinberger (2010)