Healthinmind/Emergencies/

Suicide

Mental health disorders may cause their victims to attempt suicide. We have commented on the suicide risk associated with several disorders. However, our failure to mention suicide risk in connection with a disorder doesn't mean that it isn't a possibility. It is impossible to estimate how a person will react to receiving a diagnosis of mental illness, or how a person will deal with the symptoms associated with the illness. However, there usually (not always) are signs that a person is considering suicide.

If you suspect suicidal ideation (thoughts of suicide), you should ask the person if in fact they are having those thoughts. Asking about this will not put the thoughts into his or her head, as many believe. Keeping silent when you suspect something is the worst thing you can do. Furthermore, if you ask, you are likely to get a straight answer.

Finally, if you are worried and don't think that you can determine the level of risk, just take the person to the emergency room. There, a mental health professional will assess the danger and determine what steps need to be taken.

Some risk factors to consider are:

	has attempted suicide before. People who have already attempted suicide are likely to attempt it again, especially if the problem that precipitated the attempt has not been resolved. If the person engages only in suicide gestures (not real attempts to die but attempts to get attention), there is still cause for concern. These individuals, who may not want to die, end up doing so in many cases by mistake. Never disregard talks of suicide.
	talks about death. People who contemplate suicide usually do so for some time before deciding to carry it out. During that time they may become especially interested in death, types of dying, and others who have committed suicide. Also, if they make statements such as "everyone would be better off without me," there is cause for concern.
	begins to say goodbye, gives things away, pays off debts. Sometimes people who are contemplating suicide will want to settle their affairs before dying. Don't disregard any behaviors that are suspicious in this sense. If you see them happening, ask the person and consider taking them to the emergency room.
	has a plan. When people contemplating suicide have a plan set up of how they are going to take their lives, the probability that they will attempt suicide increases significantly.
	has means. If the person has a plan and also has the means to carry out that plan (wants to shoot self, has a gun), again the risk increases even more. In a situation such as this one, the most appropriate step is to take the person to the emergency room.

Depression and Schizophrenia are the mental health conditions most associated with suicide attempts. Research has shown that for those who are depressed, suicide is more likely to occur soon after depression begins to lift than when it is at its worst. What this means is that when the person is so depressed that he/she can barely function, he/she is less likely (but not unlikely) to attempt suicide than when he/she is beginning to feel better. This may seem to be counterintuitive, but it is true. Unfortunately, once the person begins to feel better, loved ones begin to relax their guard.

Other risk factors are: being male (women attempt more than men, but men are successful at higher percentages than women), not strong religion (religious beliefs are a great deterrent for suicide), being Native American or Caucasian (higher suicide rates in these groups), being older (most common among elderly, but increasing in teen years), unmarried (married people have lower rates than others), and unemployed (higher rates among this group).

In June of 2000 Dr. Kevin M. Malone at the New York State Psychiatric Institute reported that giving depressed people reasons to live lowered the risk that they would attempt suicide. Hence therapy should try to instill hope in these patients. Another study reported in June showed that a 10-minute survey, followed by an interview, could identify most teenagers who were, and would remain, at risk for suicide. Dr. David Shaffer, who directed the study, believes that detecting and treating the at-risk teenagers would prevent most suicides in this group. A third study indicated that, despite the stress of study and tests, college students were no more likely to commit suicide than age-matched young adults who were not in college.

For additional information on the web visit:

SAVE (Suicide Awareness Voices of America)

Beacon of Hope help for families in crisis

Self-Injury: You Are NOT the Only One

To read about one suicide attempt, click here.
                                                                                                                                Last updated  12/19/03