Suicide

Question 1

Suicide Epidemiology

Answer 1

• Male suicide is 3/4

- Most common in middle age

Question 2

Suicide RFs

Answer 2

• Self harm
• Male gender
• Unemployment
• Living alone
• Being unmarried
• Alcohol and/or drug dependence
• Active mental illness

Question 3

Suicide Protective Factors

Answer 3

• Strong religions faith
• Family support
• Having children
• Responsibility for others
• Problem-solving skills

Question 4

Suicide Assessment

Answer 4

General
-Establish rapport, detailed, open history

Assess RFs

• Mental health (psychiatric Hx, depressive and other psychiatric symptoms, medication, D/A, indicators of mental state
• Previous self-harm or attempts
• Age, gender, social situation
• Relationships
• Access to lethal methods

Assess Current Intent and Plans

• Wish to be dead, feelings of hopelessness, regret/remorse over previous attempt, plans, current wishes
• Red flags- sense of hopelessness, feeling of entrapment, well formed plans, perception of no social support, distressing phenomena, significant pain

Assess Needs
-Social problems, health problems, strategies for coping, financial…

Question 5

Suicide Management

Answer 5

• Balance risks and protective factors
• Remove access to means
• Form and agree a care plan
• Multidisciplinary, collaborative, goals, risk management
• Medication, counselling, CBT
• If level of risk is high, crisis team of local mental health service
• Consider mental health act if person refuses