Suicide prevention

Suicide prevention is a collection of efforts to reduce the risk of suicide. Suicide is often preventable, and the efforts to prevent it may occur at the individual, relationship, community, and society level. Suicide is a serious public health problem that can have long-lasting effects on individuals, families, and communities. Preventing suicide requires strategies at all levels of society. This includes prevention and protective strategies for individuals, families, and communities. Suicide can be prevented by learning the warning signs, promoting prevention and resilience, and committing to social change.

Beyond direct interventions to stop an impending suicide, methods may include:

General efforts include measures within the realms of medicine, mental health, and public health. Because protective factors such as social support and social engagement — as well as environmental risk factors such as access to lethal means — play a role in suicide, suicide is not solely a medical or mental health issue. Suicide is known as the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. However, those who research suicide risks are saying those situations are starting to change. Cheryl King, a psychologist at University of Michigan, her research focuses on improving suicide risk assessments and evaluations in the youth. There is CLSP, which is Coping Long Term with Active Suicide Program. This is delivered over the telephone. Due to this, 30% of the patients had fewer attempts compared to those who did not have the CLSP. Suicide prevention involves using a range of strategies designed to reduce the risk of suicide and support individuals in crisis. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), key approaches include increasing access to mental health care, creating supportive environments, and raising awareness about warning signs such as withdrawal, mood changes, and talking about death or feeling hopeless. Community-based programs, crisis hotlines like the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, and school-based interventions have been shown to make a difference. Research also suggests that reducing access to lethal means can significantly lower suicide rates (NIMH, 2023).

Warning signs of suicide can allow individuals to direct people who may be considering suicide to get help.

Behaviors that may be warning signs include:

An effective way to assess suicidal thoughts is to talk with the person directly, to ask about depression, and assess suicide plans as to how and when it might be attempted. Contrary to popular misconceptions, talking with people about suicide does not plant the idea in their heads. However, such discussions and questions should be asked with care, concern and compassion. The tactic is to reduce sadness and provide assurance that other people care. The WHO advises to not say everything will be all right nor make the problem seem trivial, nor give false assurances about serious issues. The discussions should be gradual and specifically executed when the person is comfortable about discussing their feelings. ICARE (Identify the thought, Connect with it, Assess evidence for it, Restructure the thought in positive light, Express or provide room for expressing feelings from the restructured thought) is a model of approach used here.

All people can be at risk of suicide. Risk factors that contribute to someone feeling suicidal or making a suicide attempt may include:

The traditional approach has been to identify the risk factors that increase suicide or self-harm, though meta-analysis studies suggest that suicide risk assessment might not be useful and recommend immediate hospitalization of the person with suicidal feelings as the healthy choice. In 2001, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, published the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, establishing a framework for suicide prevention in the U.S. The document, and its 2012 revision, calls for a public health approach to suicide prevention, focusing on identifying patterns of suicide and suicidal ideation throughout a group or population (as opposed to exploring the history and health conditions that could lead to suicide in a single individual). The ability to recognize warning signs of suicide allows individuals who may be concerned about someone they know to direct them to help.