Dr. Saman Yousuf 17 June 2011. Risk assessment and crisis management (if there is suicide risk) are...
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Transcript of Dr. Saman Yousuf 17 June 2011. Risk assessment and crisis management (if there is suicide risk) are...
Risk assessment and crisis management (if there is suicide risk) are covered in the same interview
Crisis management: Keeping a person safe in short term (usually the next 72 hours)
Crisis prevention: Enabling a person to stay safe in the future (i.e long term)
Aims
Reduction of immediate risk of suicide by:
- Diffusing emotional distress
- Addressing immediate problems
- Ensuring safety
- Providing immediate support
- Identifying and employing coping mechanisms
Diffusing emotional distress Explore feelings and emotions
Encourage hopefulness
Bolster self-esteem
Build trust and confidence to ensure effective management of crisis
Ensuring safety
Identify likely means of lethality – the ‘A-test’
What is acceptable to the person
What is available to the person
Removing or restricting the means of lethality
Safety and with least distress
Utilising safety protocols for removal or restriction of dangerous weapons
Providing appropriate support
Identify who is best able to provide support
Professionals
Family and friends
Community networkIs the person comfortable with the kind of support being suggested?
Ensure support is available and accessible
During the night
At weekends
On holidays
Family, friends and community support
Can provide better support than professionals IF
- Agreeable to become involved
- Informed of the risk / offered support
- Given guidance when/if situation worsens
Careful consideration before engaging teenagers and immature people
Parents of teenagers and children may become overprotective and judgmental
Coping mechanisms
What has worked in the past?
What stopped the person from committing
suicide?
New self-help coping mechanisms
IMPORTANT: Working on coping mechanisms
should not take place until the patient is safe,
supported and no longer in distress
Revisiting assessment
Suicidal intent (frequency and severity of thoughts)
Plan
Measures to prevent detection
A structured action plan to be formed with the patient
Modifiable risk factors strategies
Psychiatric illness referral to psychiatrist for treatment
Psychosocial stressors Social worker
Regular follow-up: frequent till suicidal ideation / behavior subsides and then interval between follow-ups can be gradually increased
Crisis prevention
Example of a positive action plan (structured plan) When I am upset and thinking about suicide, I’ll take the
following steps:
Do not drink, or, if I am drinking, stop drinking Sit down and take 50 deep breaths Try to do things that help me feel better for at
least 30 minutes (e.g., taking a walk, listening to music)
Contact one of my significant others and talk to them about our joint interests
If the thoughts persist, I will call someone I can trust and seek for help at xxxx-xxxx
If nothing has improved, I can ring up 999 or go to the A&E department
What doesn’t work…
Hospital admission vs. discharge Inpatient behavior therapy vs. Inpatient
insight-oriented therapy 9 antidepressants vs. placebo 10 long-term therapies vs. one short term
therapy 2 intensive intervention plus outreach vs.
Standard aftercare Problem-solving therapy vs. standard aftercare Home-based family therapy vs. standard
aftercare
Replication in Australia
Carter GL et al 2005 BMJ;331:805; Carter GL et al 2007 Br J Psychiatry;191:548-53.
Summary
There are relatively few randomized clinical trials for treatments for suicidal behavior.
Standard of care interventions such as inpatient and anti-depressants do not have strong support.
Psychotherapy – particularly CBT and DBT seems to have some supportive findings.
Simple and basic interventions. i.e., caring letters, alone have support.
When a suicide occurs…
Despite best efforts at suicide assessment and treatment, suicides can and do occur in clinical practice
Approximately, 12,000-14,000 suicides per year occur while in treatment
To facilitate the aftercare process:
Ensure that the patient’s records are complete Be available to assist grieving family members Remember that confidentiality still exists Seek support from colleagues / supervisors