...SUICIDE RISK ASSESSMENT GUIDE REFERENCE MANUAL INTRODUCTION The Suicide Risk Assessment Pocket Card was developed to assist clinicians in all areas but especially in primary care and the emergency room/triage area to make an assessment and care decisions regarding patients who present with suicidal ideation or provide reason to believe that there is cause for concern. This reference guide provides more specific information and the rationale for the sections on the pocket card. The sections of the guide correspond with the sections of the card. The Reference Guide may also be used as a teaching aid for new providers, residents and students at all levels and disciplines as well as other caregivers. This introduction provides general information regarding the nature and prevalence of suicidal behaviors and factors associated with increased risk for suicide and suicide attempts. Suicidal thoughts and behaviors (including suicide attempts and death by suicide) are commonly found at increased rates among individuals with psychiatric disorders, especially major depressive disorder, bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, PTSD, anxiety, chemical dependency, and personality disorders (e.g., antisocial and borderline). A history of a suicide attempt is the strongest predictor of future suicide attempts, as well as death by suicide. Intentional self-harm (i.e., intentional self-injury without the expressed intent to die) is also associated with long-term risk for repeated attempts...
Words: 4773 - Pages: 20
...dying because of devastating frustration is upsetting to friends and family. The percentage of suicides and suicide attempts increases immensely during adolescence. Suicide is the third-leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year olds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Overdose using over-the-counter, prescription, and non-prescription medicine is also a very common routine for both trying and accomplishing suicide. Suicide rates vary between males and females. Females contemplate and attempt suicide about twice as often as males, and tend to try suicide by cutting themselves or overdosing on drugs. Yet males die from suicide about four times as often as females, because they tend to use more lethal approaches, like fire arms. Young individuals with mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder, are at higher threat for suicidal thoughts. Factors that increase the chance of suicide among teens incorporate: a psychological disorder, especially depression, bipolar disorder and alcohol and drug use, feelings of distress, feelings of hopelessness, a previous suicide attempt, a family history of depression or suicide, lack of a support network, poor relationships with parents or peers, and feelings of social isolation. An individual may need emergency action after a suicide attempt. Individuals who try to commit suicide may need to stay in a hospital for treatment and to decrease the possibility of future attempts...
Words: 285 - Pages: 2
...SUICIDE Paula Carver Course: PSY 303: Abnormal Psychology Instructor: Kevin Webster 4-30-12 In this assignment I will be giving an overview of a suicide assessment. I will research the roles of depression according to age, gender, ethnicity and social economics. This assignment will also include information of how I would react to a person who has threatened suicide based on my research and learning's. According to the guide on VA Suicide Risk Assessment pocket care signs of acute risk are threatening to hurt or kill themself, look for ways to kill themself and talking about killing themself. These signs should always be taken seriously and referred to a professional that can assess the immediate needs (911 should be called if extreme). During the assessment the Clinician introductory stamen should be used to pave the way to ensuring an informative and smooth dialogue and reassure the patient that you are prepared for and interested in the answers. Example, I appreciate how difficult the problem must be for you at this time. Then go on to say I had a previous patient with the same symptoms as you and had thoughts of suicide. Have you ever thought about suicide? However, the clinician should ask the screening set of question whenever the clinical situation or presentation warrants it. In the screening process open-ended questions that lead to a response of yes or no. If the answer is yes, the next question should be asked. For example, Are you feeling...
Words: 2024 - Pages: 9
...You Are Not Alone Did he do the right thing? I will lie in bed and think long and hard about the decisions he made. Even though it is impossible to put myself in his shoes I try to think and put together the reasoning of his actions. We all ask ourselves the same fundamental question, why? Years ago, our team gathered for another baseball practice. It was one week until are first sub state game against City High, the crosstown rival. We were missing one player for practice on this hot summer day. It was Jeremy, our outfielder. Jeremy has always been the quiet one on the team but never falls short when it comes to being on time and working hard. Today he was not on time. Jeremy had been going through tough times in the past two weeks, issues with the girlfriend, close family members along with trouble in school. On this day all the elements were combined to push Jeremy over the edge and into another world. Jeremy had not been answering his phone for the past hours. Even calls from his parents went unanswered. We went out looking for him, going places where we thought he would be. One of the players said he likes to go down to the river and drive around on his four-wheeler, so we headed down there. We found Jeremy’s four-wheeler. We walked up to his four-wheeler and saw a note with a picture of his girlfriend. “You were the most beautiful girl in the world to me, no one will ever make my heart beat as fast as you do. Mom, dad, I’m sorry for what I have done. ...
Words: 986 - Pages: 4
...Suicide Factors Suicide is the act committed by a person towards himself with the aim of ending his own life. It is a distressing phenomenon, which brings negative effect on the close relatives and friends. There are a lot of factors, which may lead to committing suicide. In this case, depression may be one of the most powerful causes for an individual to harm himself. Thus, one may regard the suicide to be the perfect way out of pain and suffering. Besides, global assessment done by World Health Organization, stated that the rate of suicide has risen since 1950, as much as 268 per cent among young males from 15 to 24 years (Perlman, Neufeld, Martin, Goy, Hirdes, Neufeld, Martin, Goy & Hirdes). Therefore, the suicide risk assessment is used in order to learn more about the person, about their needs and stressors. There are various kinds of assessments, including quizzes and questionnaires. Additionally, I have found the suicide risk assessment developed by Sandra Cushing and Susan Boyd, and identified the chief risk factors. When analyzing the assessment, I concluded that among them there are those factors specific to depression, for instance, family history and mental disorder, severe depression, history of previous attempts to commit suicide, anxiety, feeling of loneliness and hopelessness, suicidal intention and plan, command hallucinations, homicidal thoughts. Among other factors for consideration there were also family history of suicide, physical illness, different...
Words: 1136 - Pages: 5
...unlocked. The door opened, and there was a vision that will be branded in my mind forever. I found my fiancee’, best friend, father of my child dead. How? Too suicide. The natural cause of every human life is death. Some people, for reasons that have never been fully understood, choose to end their own lives. This is called suicide. The individual seemingly hopeless with the world around them decides to end his or her existence in what amounts to be the final assault against a life that can no longer be tolerated. In doing so, the person tries to obtain a final revenge on everything and everyone that has caused their feelings of depression. Attempts at suicide, and the suicidal thoughts of feelings are usually symptom indicating that a person isn’t coping, often as a result of some event or series that they personally find overwhelming traumatic or distressing. In many cases, the events will pass and the overwhelming nature of the problems will fade. Suicide is applied to all cases of death resulting directly or indirectly from a positive or negative act of the killing his self. Suicide is rarely ever a spur of the moment thing. Today people continue to commit suicide for a variety of reasons: Love, insanity and chronic depression. There is usually a series of events or warning signs before an attempt is made. Suicide is not an genetic disease, but rather than a series of events that are very depressing...
Words: 1265 - Pages: 6
...Suicide and suicidal behaviors usually occur in people with one or more of the following: Bipolar disorder Borderline personality disorder Depression Drug or alcohol dependence Schizophrenia Stressful life issues, such as serious financial or relationship problems People who try to commit suicide are often trying to get away from a life situation that seems impossible to deal with. Many who make a suicide attempt are seeking relief from: Feeling ashamed, guilty, or like a burden to others Feeling like a victim Feelings of rejection, loss, or loneliness Suicidal behaviors may occur when there is a situation or event that the person finds overwhelming, such as: Aging (the elderly have the highest rate of suicide) Death of a loved one Dependence on drugs or alcohol Emotional trauma Serious physical illness Unemployment or money problems Risk factors for suicide in teenagers include: Access to guns Family member who committed suicide History of hurting themselves on purpose History of being neglected or abused Living in communities where there have been recent outbreaks of suicide in young people Romantic breakup Most suicide attempts do not result in death. Many of these attempts are done in a way that makes rescue possible. These attempts are often a cry for help. Some people attempt suicide in a way that is less likely to be fatal, such as poisoning or...
Words: 292 - Pages: 2
...CHAPTER ONE TOPIC The Impact of Suicide among East Indian Males in Johanna Black Bush Polder. 1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY “Suicide” is a constant threat in the Guyanese society. Apart from these stolen lives there are also those living with permanent mental and also physical scars from unsuccessful attempts. Everyday in Guyana people are attempting suicide and this trend continues to present itself. According to Danns (2001) an amazing 76.2 % of suicide deaths are from the East Indian community. Suicide among East Indian males in over the years have increased. There has been outcry from the entire community because of the impact that this phenomena has on the family and the neighboorhood. This suicidal tendency has created fear and a sense of desperation thinking of whom or what will be next. Suicide has and is still a constant problem in Guyana. There has been over the years scored of suicidal attempts and its impact is devastating. East Indian men are regularly committing suicide especially in the County of Berbice. Macionis (1999) defines suicide as “the act of deliberately killing oneself and the cause of action is extremely damaging to one’s interest. However, Granello (2007) said that suicide is the act of killing oneself. 1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Suicide is often seen as a minor issue in society but when carefully analyzed it was revealed that it has devastating effects on the families, the communities and even a nation. For examples everyday...
Words: 1938 - Pages: 8
...Suicide is the action of intentionally killing oneself. According to statistics, there has bee a significant increase of 80% suicides, since the previous year. Durkheim believed that suicide rates were dependent on social factors, related to both scientific laws and facts, such as religion, education and the media. Durkheim conducted a range of research to prove these predictions. For example, he found that Catholics had lower suicide rates than Protestants. From these findings concluded that suicide is caused by social factors such as too little/too much social integration and too little/too much moral regulation. Within the Catholic Church suicide is seen as a sin therefore due to this religious tie Catholics are less likely to commit suicide. Additionally, an example of suicide based on too much moral regulation is Palestinian suicide bombings. According to Durkheim, these two social factors create a typology of suicide. Altruistic suicide is due to too much social integration. Egoistic suicide is due to too little social integration. Fatalistic suicide is due to too much moral regulation. Anomic suicide is due to too little moral regulation. Furthermore, many positivists have built on Durkheim’s work. Including Sainsbury who found that social disorganisation, Anomic suicide, was the most popular type of suicide and Hallowach who found urban to rural changes make Egoistic suicide more likely. Durkheim’s work, being a Positivist, made making generalisations possible...
Words: 657 - Pages: 3
...Teen Suicide Research Paper People need to be informed on why teens commit suicide and what signs to look for. Teens are slowly slipping away because of this deadly subject and people need to start noticing. Sometimes people can get caught up in their own personal lives and not even notice when a loved one is considering suicide. In the seven articles read, there were a variety of things that people seem to overlook often. Why teens are committing suicide and what people can do to help victims who are considering, are two main points that are important for people to know. In a Kids Health article about teen suicide, it talks about teen suicide and different things people need to know about it. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year-olds. Most of the time, people don’t realize that they could have helped a victim because they didn’t know any of the warning signs. The article goes on to talk about the risks of suicide, that 60% of all suicide in America are used with a gun. This is why no one should ever have a gun unlocked or kept in a place where it is easily out of reach. In 1996, more teenagers and young adults died of suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia and influenza, and chronic lung disease combined .In 1996, suicide was the second-leading cause of death among college students, the third-leading cause of death among those aged 15 to 24 years,...
Words: 3883 - Pages: 16
...SUICIDE PREVENTION The term “Suicide Prevention” is an all-encompassing term which includes collective efforts of organizations of general public, mental health experts and related professionals to reduce the incidence of suicide. How to SPOT THE SIGNS AND HELPING A SUICIDAL PERSON: ------------------------------------------------- | A person who has become suicidal may not ask for help, but that doesn't mean that he or she does not want help. Almost all people who commit suicide want to end the pain they suffer as they think suicide is the answer to stop hurting. If you think a friend or family member is considering suicide, you might be afraid to bring up the subject. But talking openly about suicidal thoughts and feelings can save a life. Understanding and preventing suicide: From the surveys of The World Health Organization, it is estimated that approximately 1 million people die each year from committing suicide. Suicide is a desperate attempt to escape suffering that has become unbearable. Blinded by feelings of self-loathing, hopelessness, and isolation, a suicidal person can't see any way of finding relief except through death. They wish there was an alternative to committing suicide, but they just can't see one. ------------------------------------------------- Suicide Warming Signs: 1. Talking about suicide 2. Seeking out lethal means 3. Preoccupation with death 4. No hope for the future 5. Self-loathing, self-hatred 6. Getting affairs in order ...
Words: 401 - Pages: 2
...I. Introduction Suicide comes from the Latin word “Suicidium” from Sui caedere which means “to kill oneself” is the act of intentionally causing one’s own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and alcoholism or drug abuse. Over one million people die by suicide every year. It is a leading cause of death among teenagers and adult under 35. The rate of suicide is far higher in men than women, with males worldwide three to four times more likely to kill themselves than females. There are an estimated 10 to 20 million non-fatal attempted suicides every year worldwide. Views of suicide have been influenced by broader cultural views on existential themes such as religion, honor, and the meaning of life. The Abrahamic religions traditionally consider suicide an offense towards God due to the belief in the sanctity of life. It was often regarded as a serious crime and that view remains commonplace in modern western thought. However, before the rise of Christianity, suicide was not seen as automatically immoral in ancient Greek and Roman culture. Conversely, during the Samurai in Japan, Seppuku was respected as a means of failure or as a form of protest. Sati is a Hindu funeral practice, now out lamed, in which the widow was expected to immolate herself on their husband’s funeral pyre, either willingly...
Words: 461 - Pages: 2
...Suicide is the act of taking away one’s own life. Suicide, to me, is one’s irrational desire to die. This is because suicide can never be a solution to end problems. Suicide, in my opinion is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. This is because every problem that we face definitely has its own solution. There will always be a way to solve a problem. Suicide is a sign of major depression. Only cowards will take suicide as a solution and will never think of an alternative solution towards his/hers problem. At some point in our lives, most of us will definitely experience certain periods of sadness, worry or despair. While it is completely normal for a healthy person to have these types of responses to pain resulting from loss, dismissal, or disillusionment, those who are undergoing serious depression often experience much more drastic reactions. Many times these severe reactions will leave us in despair, and we may feel like there is no end in sight to our sufferings and problems. It is at this point that some of us may lose hope, and with the absence of hope comes more depression and the feeling that suicide is the only solution. It definitely isn’t. Often, people tend to feel as though they have no other way out of their problems, and may not realize that suicidal thoughts and feelings can be treated. Honestly, I think that it is not something abnormal or weird for one to feel that way. This is because for instance, if someone starts piling weights on your shoulders,...
Words: 607 - Pages: 3
...The social problem that concerns our group is suicide. Suicide is the act of killing one self intentionally. It is often committed out of despair, the cause of which is frequently attributed to a mental disorder such as depression, bipolar disorder and drug abuse. Efforts to prevent suicide include limiting access to firearms, treating mental illness and drug misuse, and improving economic development. Suicide is a troubling topic that most of us would rather not deal with, but suicide is a reality, and it is more common than we would like to think. Most people who attempt suicide are ambivalent about taking their own life, however circumstances make them feel that life is unbearable. Suicide seems like the only way to deal with their problems because they have an extreme sense of hopelessness, helplessness and depression. Some of the factors that may lead a person to attempt suicide are feelings of isolation, having a serious physical illness, experiencing a major loss, abuse of drugs or alcohol, experiencing major changes in life, post-partum depression, history of child abuse, living in a violent relationship. Depression leads people to focus mostly on failures and disappointments, to emphasise their negative side of their situations. It also effects a person thoughts in such a way that the person doesn’t see when a problem can be overcome. Bipolar disorder are also more at risk for suicide because their condition can cause them to go through times when...
Words: 594 - Pages: 3
...“Suicide” is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. There is always hope. Suicide Warning Signs If you or someone you know exhibits several of the suicide warning signs listed below, immediate action is required, so take action. Thank you. Suicide Warning Signs: * Appearing depressed or sad most of the time. (Untreated depression is the number one cause for suicide.) * Talking or writing about death or suicide. * Withdrawing from family and friends. * Feeling hopeless. * Feeling helpless. * Feeling strong anger or rage. * Feeling trapped -- like there is no way out of a situation. * Experiencing dramatic mood changes. * Abusing drugs or alcohol. * Exhibiting a change in personality. * Acting impulsively. * Losing interest in most activities. * Experiencing a change in sleeping habits. * Experiencing a change in eating habits. * Losing interest in most activities. * Performing poorly at work or in school. * Giving away prized possessions. * Writing a will. * Feeling excessive guilt or shame. * Acting recklessly. It should be noted that some people who die by suicide do not show any suicide warning signs. But about 75 percent of those who die by suicide do exhibit some suicide warning signs, so we need to be aware of what the suicide warning signs are and try to spot them in people. If we do see someone exhibiting suicide warning signs, we need to do everything that we can to help them. Always take...
Words: 2158 - Pages: 9
