This document discusses suicide risk assessment and prevention. It begins by noting that suicide is a major cause of death worldwide and its epidemiology is changing. It then discusses common myths and facts about suicide, including that suicide attempts should always be taken seriously as an indicator of future risk. Various terminologies related to suicidality are defined, including suicidal ideation, attempts, gestures, and parasuicide. Common risk factors and methods are listed. The document outlines a suicide process model and discusses personality traits like antisocial personality disorder that are associated with suicidality. It concludes by recommending preventive measures like reducing access to lethal means, screening high-risk groups, promoting mental health services, and educating the public

1. suicide RISk ASSESMENT &PREVENTION

2. INTRODUCTION
• Suicide is the major cause of death across the
world.
• Epidemiology of suicide is changing.

3. BEYONDBLUE
MYTHS
• If a person attempts suicide
and survives, they will never
make a further attempt.
• Once a person is intent on
suicide, there is no way of
stopping them.
• People who threaten
suicide are just seeking
attention.
FACTS
• A suicide attempt is
regarded as an indicator of
further attempts.
• Suicides can be prevented
• All suicide attempts must be
treated as though the
person has the intent to die

4. • Suicide is hereditary.
• Only certain types of people
become suicidal.
• Suicide is painless.
• Depression and self-
destructive behavior are
rare in young people.
• Although suicide can be
over-represented in
families, it is attempts not
genetically inherited.
• Everyone has the potential
for suicide.
• Many suicide methods are
very painful.
• Both forms of behavior are
common in adolescents

5. • All suicidal young people
are depressed.
• Marked and sudden
improvement in the mental
state of an attempter
following a suicidal crisis or
depressive period signifies
that the suicide risk is over.
• Once a young person is
suicidal, they will be suicidal
forever.
• The opposite may be true.
• suicide will only be that way
for a limited period of their
lives.

6. • Suicidal young people
cannot help themselves.
• Break-ups in relationships
happen so frequently, they
do not cause suicide.
• support and constructive
assistance from caring and
informed people around
them, young people can
gain full self-direction and
self-management in their
lives.
• Suicide can be precipitated
by the loss of a relationship.

7. • Some people are always
suicidal.
• Every death is preventable
• Nobody is suicidal at all
times.
• No matter how well
intentioned, alert and
diligent people's efforts may
be, there is no way of
preventing all suicides from
occurring.

8. Terminologies…...
• Suicidal ideation Occurrence of passive thoughts of
wanting to be dead or active thoughts of killing oneself
(Posner, 2007)
• Suicide attempt a potentially self injurious behavior
with at least some intent to die as a result of the act.
(O’Caroll, 1996)
• Deliberate self harm An act with non-fatal outcome, in
which an individual deliberately initiates a non-habitual
behaviour that, without intervention from others, will
cause self harm, aimed at realising changes which the
subject desired via the actual or expected physical
consequences (WHO).
• willful self-inflicting of painful, destructive, or injurious
acts without intent to die(APA)

9. Terminologies…...
• Suicide gesture— denotes a person
undertaking an unusual, but not fatal,
behavior as a cry for help or to get attention.
• Parasuicide— Term coined by Kreitman, It is
defined as non-fatal act of self–injury or taking
of substance in excess of the generally
recognized or prescribed therapeutic dose
without the intention to kill oneself

10. Suicidality- a continuum
• from suicidal statement →suicidal gestures →
suicidal attempts → completed suicide

11. COMMON METHODS
 Pesticide poisoning
Hanging
Firearms
Drug overdose
Fatal injuries
Exsanuinations
Suffocation
Drowning

12. HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
The history of suicide goes back to the ancient times with
earliest written records from Greece (Socrates, Seneca) to
modern day (van Gogh, Hitler…..)

13. SUICIDE PROCESS & THE ACT OF SUICIDE
• Suicide – fatal outcome of a long term process
• It is a very individual final act of a person
• Involves multiple interacting biological, cultural,
social, situational & psychological factors

14. SUICIDE PROCESS MODEL

15. Personality traits associated with
suicidality
• ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER
• BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER
VARIABLES
 impulsivity
hopelessness

16. PREVENTIVE MEASURES
 Promoting mental resilience through optimism and
connectedness
 Education about suicide, including risk factors, warning signs,
and the availability of help.
 Increasing the proficiency of health and welfare services in
responding to people in need. This includes better training for
health professionals and employing crisis counselling
organizations.
 Reducing domestic violence, substance abuse, and divorce are
long-term strategies to reduce many mental health problems.

17. Cont…..
Reducing access to convenient means of
suicide (e.g., toxic substances, handguns).
Limit the availability of potentially lethal
amounts and dosages of prescribed
medications.
Reducing the quantity of dosages supplied in
packages of non-prescription medicines e.g.,
aspirin., psychotropics.

18. Interventions targeted at high-risk groups.
Family is basic unit where emotional bonding,
social support and training for resilience building
are important for the suicidal prevention.
Proper arrangement for general public health
measures.
In India comprehensive community care services
are promoted to provide services to those
stricken with mental illness.

19. • School intervention programs - emotional
education in school children can reduce the
incidence of suicide and suicidal attempts
• Government policies on employment, school
welfare, education, farming, substance abuse,
media guidance and public education should be
taken in account for suicide prevention.
• . Professional training about assessment,
diagnosis and treatment support of high-risk
group's detection is required for prompt suicidal
intervention.

20. There should be responsible media policy for
suicide prevention.
Early detection and early treatment of
depression and other mental disorders.
Enhanced access to mental health services
(such as hot/on line services).
Attention to those suffering chronic somatic
illness.

21. Arrangement for crises intervention.
Training gatekeepers like parents, teachers,
psychologist, counselors and other professional
helpers who must provide emotional support to
meet the needs of different age groups.
Parents and teachers should not over expect from
their children, especially parents should not
compel to fulfill their own dreams through
children.

22. . Parents and other family members should
give attention towards changing behaviour of
child and provide help and support to handle
the difficulties of life especially the teenage
issues and emotional ups and downs.
Educating family members or parents
regarding the need to monitor their loved
ones and to monitor to communicate
observations of change or concern.

23. THANK YOU