Suicide Flashcards
What is part of the risk triad in suicides?
ideation
plan
intention
Suicide is almost always due to which other condition?
depression
As ppl age, are more men or women more likely to commit suicide?
men
T/F: Women attempt suicide 4x as much as men but men are successful 3x as much
True b/c men tend to use more violent means
Do African Americans or white Americans have higher rates of suicide? What about immigrants?
white americans; immigrants have higher rates of suicide
Divorced men or women are more likely to commit suicide?
divorced men
What is anniversary suicide?
commit suicide on the same day as another family member/friend/relative did
Suicide risk is lowest and highest in which religious group?
lower in catholic and islamic and highest in protestant
What is victim-precipitated homicide?
a suicide type in which the victim uses others to kill oneself (e.g. death by cop intentionally)
What is murder-suicide?
can occur as a pact usually made by females or elderly couples that could turn out to be homicide or coercion
What may be the greatest predictor/risk factor although predicting who will commit suicide is a statistically poor outcome?
past violence
What does it mean to use least restrictive approach in treatment pts who want to commit suicide?
- add meds to quickly lower anxiety, insomnia, etc
- add slower acting antidepressants or psychotherapy
- increase social support
- decrease helplessness and hopelessness
- send to hospital if needed
If a pt is at high risk for suicide, but does not want to be hospitalized, what can you do about it?
pt can be detained/comitted for 1-63 days (exact duration depends on state laws), but cannot force pt to take meds
Will physicians be liable if they do not recognize that their pts are suicidal and then try to commit suicide?
Yes, therefore all psych notes should have a comment abt lethality risk being low, mod, high & what they plan to do to mitigate this symptom
