PsychU Spotlight

Preventing Suicide

Suicide is both a major public health problem and a leading cause of death in the United States. The effects of suicide go beyond the person who takes their own life; the trauma of losing someone to suicide has a lasting impact on family, friends, and communities.¹Warning signs include concerning speech (e.g. talking about killing themselves), changes in behavior (e.g. isolating themselves from friends and family), and differences in mood (e.g. depression or anxiety).² There are several associated risk factors correlated with suicidal behavior like health (e.g. having a serious mental illness), environment (e.g. having access to lethal means), and history (e.g. previous attempts).² Thankfully, public awareness and prevention efforts in the United States are ramping up. By using a public health approach that addresses risk and protective factors for multiple types of violence, suicide, and other forms of violence, deaths by suicide can be prevented.¹

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

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Practical Application Of Tools For Measurement-Based Care: Suicide Risk Screening

In this series of interviews, Sloan Manning, MD, discusses a variety of screening tools that may be used in primary care (or mental health) settings to screen for mental health symptoms and associated risks, and measure response and change in symptoms over time.

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Did You Know?

Protective factors for suicide include effective behavioral and physical health care; access to clinical intervention; family and community supports; problem solving and conflict resolution skills; and cultural and religious beliefs that discourage suicide.

Reference:
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). (2018). Risk and protective factors. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/suicide/riskprotectivefactors.html.
Some recommended strategies for suicide prevention include strengthening economic supports, creating protective environments, strengthening access and delivery of suicide care, promoting connectedness, and teaching coping and problem-solving skills.

Reference:
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). (2018). Preventing suicide. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/features/preventingsuicide/index.html.
Means safety involves making specific methods for suicide less deadly or less available for a suicide attempt and has been shown to reduce suicide rates with respect to firearms. Time and space between a person with thoughts of suicide and a firearm can potentially save lives.

Reference:
American Association for Suicidology (AAS). (n.d.) Firearms and suicide. Retrieved from https://www.suicidology.org/resources/infographics.
Suicide is preventable. Most suicidal individuals want to live, they are just unable to see alternative to their problems. Being aware of those around you, maintaining connections to family, friends, and acquaintances who are going through difficult life events, and being willing to listen are crucial ways that individuals can help individuals in distress.

Reference:
American Association for Suicidology (AAS). (n.d.) Understanding and helping the suicidal individual. Retrieved from https://www.suicidology.org/Portals/14/docs/Resources/FactSheets/UnderstandingHelpingSuicidalIndividual.pdf.
Understanding the risk factors for suicide may help screen for individuals in crisis. While they don’t cause or predict suicide, risk factors are characteristics that make it more likely that someone will consider, attempt, or die by suicide. They include mental health and substance use disorders; history or trauma or abuse; previous attempt; loss of economic stability or interpersonal relationships; ease of access to lethal means; and lack of access to effective and appropriate health care.

Reference:
Suicide Prevention Lifeline. (n.d.) We can all prevent suicide. Retrieved from https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/how-we-can-all-prevent-suicide/.

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Spotlight Archive

1 to 10 of 41 Next »

2012 U.S. Suicide Rate Was 16.1 Per 100,000, But Varied By Occupation
News | January 11, 2017

The U.S. suicide rate in 2012 was 16.1 per 100,000 people age 16 and older, but the rate for several occupational groups was much higher.…

38% Of People Who Attempted Suicide Made A Health Care Visit The Week Before
News | May 22, 2015

About 38% of individuals who attempted suicide made a health care visit within the week before their suicide attempt. About 95% had made a health…

54% Of Suicides In 2016 Had No Reported Mental Health Link
News | November 26, 2018

While suicide is a leading cause of death in the U.S., about 54% of the nearly 45,000 people who died by suicide in 2016 had…

90% Of American Adults Believe Treatment For Depression, Suicide Prevention Should Be Part Of A Basic Health Care Plan
News | November 2, 2015

About 89% of adults in the United States believe that mental and physical health are equally important, and 92% believe that treatment for depression and…

12-Month Suicide Rate Following Psychiatric Discharge Is 2.41 Per 1,000 Discharges
News | August 26, 2019

During the 12 months following discharge from a psychiatric hospital, the suicide rate among consumers is 2.41 per 1,000 discharges. The 12-month post-discharge rate for…

Addressing The Climbing National Suicide Rate
Poll | April 30, 2018

In April 2018 we asked the PsychU Community, “In your opinion, what is the best strategy for addressing the nation’s climbing suicide rate?” More than…

“If you or your patient are in crisis, and need immediate support or intervention, call, or go the website of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255).”
Resource | May 22, 2016

According to the National Institutes for Mental Health, “Trained crisis workers are available to talk 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Your confidential…

Webinar Summary – Suicide Affects Everyone: The Role Of The Health Care Professional In Suicide Prevention
Webinar Summary | September 14, 2017

This summary was developed utilizing the full recorded presentation of this webinar. You can access the full sourcing, polling results, or recording here: https://www.psychu.org/suicide-affects-everyone-role-health-care-professional-suicide-prevention/. On…

Webinar Summary – Social Determinants Of Behavioral Health: Addressing Suicide In The Community
Webinar Summary | February 28, 2018

This summary was developed utilizing the full recorded presentation of this webinar, which is available on PsychU for all members free of charge. For full…

Preventing Suicide in the Clinical Setting: Reasons for Hope
Webinar | September 10, 2019 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm ET

American Foundation For Suicide Prevention Project 2025
Resource | July 1, 2019

Despite increasing efforts to raise awareness and prevention strategies across the globe, suicide rates are currently among the highest in history, with rates increasing over…

American Foundation For Suicide Prevention Releases Three Investment Opportunities That Will Reduce Suicide Rate 20%
News | November 4, 2016

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), have launched the next phase of Project 2025. Project 2025 is a high-impact, collaborative initiative developed by AFSP,…

Analysis Of HMO Suicide Rates Finds Preventive Effect Of Specialty Mental Health Review
Perspective | October 8, 2015

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in United States with an approximate 270,000 people committing suicide between 2001 and 2009. Those with a…

Data & Decision Support For Suicide Assessment
Perspective | July 15, 2019

Suicide rates have increased by 33% between 1993 and 2017. It is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, and the second…

Department Of Veterans Affairs Researching Use Of Cogito Analytics To Predict Veteran Mental Health Crises, Prevent Suicide
News | January 25, 2016

On December 15, 2015, Cogito Corporation announced it had a contract with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to use Cogito’s behavioral analytics platform…

Deployment Status May Affect Suicide Attempts Among U.S. Army Soldiers
Perspective | July 14, 2016

An alarming rise in the number of suicide attempts by U.S. Army soldiers in the past 10 years may be due to the timing and…

Evaluation Of Veterans’ Suicide Risk With The Use Of Linguistic Detection Methods
Perspective | October 8, 2015

Introduction Although there are a number of treatment programs, outreach initiatives, and efforts to screen and monitor suicide risks, suicide continues to be hard to…

Facility Hazard Checklist Leads To 82% Drop In Mental Health Inpatient Suicides
News | January 12, 2017

After the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals began using the Mental Health Environment of Care Checklist (MHEOCC) to identify facility-specific hazards in its mental…

Follow Up Q&A – Suicide Affects Everyone: The Role Of The Health Care Professional In Suicide Prevention
Community Voices | September 14, 2017

During this question and answer session, Christine Moutier, MD, and Anthony Pisani, PhD, respond to unanswered questions from their September 14, 2017 webinar entitled “Suicide…

Joint Commission Releases Action Alert For Suicide Prevention
News | May 6, 2016

A new Joint Commission alert outlines the actions healthcare providers in all settings can take to better detect and treat those at risk of suicide.…

Joint Commission Requires Hospitals To Screen For Suicide Risk
News | February 11, 2019

On November 29, 2018, in a revision to its National Patient Safety Goal, The Joint Commission announced that it will require hospitals to screen individuals…

Key Findings From The PsychU 2018 National Suicide Forum
Resource | November 26, 2018

Since its inception in 2014, Otsuka's PsychU mental health community and knowledge center has offered a wealth of resources and information for mental health professionals…

Lilly Foundation Provides Donation To Fund Suicide Prevention
News | April 23, 2015

The Eli Lilly and Company Foundation provided a $250,000 donation to the Community Health Network Foundation to expand Community’s Zero Suicides initiative. The donation allows…

Mental Health Awareness: A Focus On Suicide & Stigma
Presentation | May 27, 2019

Listen in as Dr. Rachel Self and Dr. Bryan Archuleta dive into the importance of raising mental health awareness and the interplay between suicide, mental…

New York State Office Of Mental Health Announces Statewide Suicide Prevention Plan
News | September 22, 2016

The New York State Office of Mental Health has announced the release of an extensive, multifaceted plan for suicide prevention, aimed at reducing New York…

Practical Application Of Tools For Measurement-Based Care: Suicide Risk Screening
Community Voices | December 24, 2018

In this series of interviews, Sloan Manning, MD, discusses a variety of screening tools that may be used in primary care (or mental health) settings…

Project 2025 Initiative Seeks To Reduce U.S. Suicide Rate 20% By 2025
News | December 14, 2016

A national initiative called Project 2025 launched by the American Foundation For Suicide Prevention (AFSP) in 2015 seeks to reduce the suicide rate in the United…

Risk Factors For Suicide In Bipolar Disorder: A Systematic Review
Research Summary | June 6, 2017

Key Messages Bipolar disorder (BD) has the highest rate of suicide among the major psychological disorders. The risk for death by suicide is approximately 60…

PsychU Supporters: An Interview With The American Association Of Suicidology
Community Voices | June 10, 2019

Listen in as Colleen Creighton introduce you to the work of the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) – a PsychU Supporting Organization. Ms. Creighton shares…

Researchers Developing Universal Predictive Measure For Suicidality
Perspective | December 2, 2016

Health care professionals understand that early intervention of serious mental illness can prevent an individual from suffering disabilities, hospitalizations, incarceration, or suicide.¹ Scientists are striving…

Suicide Awareness & Prevention – A Psychiatrist’s Perspective
Community Voices | August 16, 2018

In this interview, hear from William Coryell, MD, the George Winokur Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, a Scientific…

Suicide Awareness & Prevention – A Psychologist’s Perspective
Community Voices | July 10, 2018

In this interview, hear from Julie Cerel, PhD, President of the American Association of Suicidology, Professor in the College of Social Work at the University…

Suicide Awareness & Prevention – An Advocate’s Perspective
Community Voices | July 10, 2018

Listen in to this interview with Christine Moutier, MD, psychiatrist and Chief Medical Officer for American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, as she shares her expert…

Suicide Awareness & Prevention – An Ally’s Perspective
Community Voices | July 10, 2018

Listen in to this interview with Allen Doederlein, Executive Vice President of External Affairs, Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) and PsychU Stigma Section Editor,…

Suicide Awareness In Primary Care
Presentation | October 31, 2017

In this short interview, Marla Moses, FNP, PMHNP, PsychU Primary Care Providers’ Corner Section Editor and Owner of IN Moses Mental Health in Indianapolis, IN,…

Suicide Prevention App Unveiled By SAMHSA
News | June 10, 2015

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association (SAMHSA) unveiled a new app called Suicide Safe to help with suicide prevention. The app was unveiled…

Social Determinants Of Behavioral Health: Addressing Suicide In The Community
Archived Webinar | February 28, 2018

In 2015 suicide was the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S., claiming the lives of an estimated 44,193 people,1 and it takes a toll on…

The Joint Commission Updates Suicide Prevention Guidelines, Recommends Greater Vigilance In Non-Acute & Acute Care Settings
News | June 13, 2016

On February 24, 2016, The Joint Commission issued an action alert focused on enhancing suicide prevention efforts by health care organizations. The goal is to…

The Missing Puzzle Piece In Suicide Prevention: An Interview With Danei Edelen
Community Voices | May 22, 2018

Danei Edelen is a marketing professional who has embraced mental health advocacy, most recently by establishing a new chapter of the National Alliance on Mental…

Utah Senator Holds Suicide-Prevention Conference
News | January 19, 2017

In an effort to battle teen suicide, Utah Senator Orrin Hatch convened a panel of experts, physicians, advocates, and concerned parties at East High School…

Young People Living With A Chronic Illness Are Three Times More Likely To Attempt Suicide
News | September 25, 2017

Adolescents and young adults between ages 15 to 30 who are living with a chronic illness are three times more likely to attempt suicide than…

1 to 10 of 41 Next »

American Foundation For Suicide Prevention (AFSP) Out Of The Darkness Walk – Orange County, NY Supporter Event | September 22, 2019 8:00 am to 12:00 pm EST

American Foundation For Suicide Prevention (AFSP) Out Of The Darkness Walk – East End Long Island, NY Supporter Event | September 22, 2019 9:00 am to 12:00 pm EST

American Foundation For Suicide Prevention (AFSP) Out Of The Darkness Walk – Capital Region Walk for R.I.T.A. Supporter Event | September 22, 2019 9:00 am to 1:00 pm EST

American Foundation For Suicide Prevention (AFSP) Out Of The Darkness Walk – Bedford Township, MI Live Program | September 22, 2019 9:30 am to 12:00 pm EST @ Lambertville, MI

PsychU Spotlight

Preventing Suicide

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Practical Application Of Tools For Measurement-Based Care: Suicide Risk Screening

Did You Know?

Search Articles

2012 U.S. Suicide Rate Was 16.1 Per 100,000, But Varied By Occupation News | January 11, 2017

38% Of People Who Attempted Suicide Made A Health Care Visit The Week Before News | May 22, 2015

54% Of Suicides In 2016 Had No Reported Mental Health Link News | November 26, 2018

90% Of American Adults Believe Treatment For Depression, Suicide Prevention Should Be Part Of A Basic Health Care Plan News | November 2, 2015

12-Month Suicide Rate Following Psychiatric Discharge Is 2.41 Per 1,000 Discharges News | August 26, 2019

Addressing The Climbing National Suicide Rate Poll | April 30, 2018

“If you or your patient are in crisis, and need immediate support or intervention, call, or go the website of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255).” Resource | May 22, 2016

Webinar Summary – Suicide Affects Everyone: The Role Of The Health Care Professional In Suicide Prevention Webinar Summary | September 14, 2017

Webinar Summary – Social Determinants Of Behavioral Health: Addressing Suicide In The Community Webinar Summary | February 28, 2018

Preventing Suicide in the Clinical Setting: Reasons for Hope Webinar | September 10, 2019 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm ET

American Foundation For Suicide Prevention Project 2025 Resource | July 1, 2019

American Foundation For Suicide Prevention Releases Three Investment Opportunities That Will Reduce Suicide Rate 20% News | November 4, 2016

Analysis Of HMO Suicide Rates Finds Preventive Effect Of Specialty Mental Health Review Perspective | October 8, 2015

Data & Decision Support For Suicide Assessment Perspective | July 15, 2019

Department Of Veterans Affairs Researching Use Of Cogito Analytics To Predict Veteran Mental Health Crises, Prevent Suicide News | January 25, 2016

Deployment Status May Affect Suicide Attempts Among U.S. Army Soldiers Perspective | July 14, 2016

Evaluation Of Veterans’ Suicide Risk With The Use Of Linguistic Detection Methods Perspective | October 8, 2015

Facility Hazard Checklist Leads To 82% Drop In Mental Health Inpatient Suicides News | January 12, 2017

Follow Up Q&A – Suicide Affects Everyone: The Role Of The Health Care Professional In Suicide Prevention Community Voices | September 14, 2017

Joint Commission Releases Action Alert For Suicide Prevention News | May 6, 2016

Joint Commission Requires Hospitals To Screen For Suicide Risk News | February 11, 2019

Key Findings From The PsychU 2018 National Suicide Forum Resource | November 26, 2018

Lilly Foundation Provides Donation To Fund Suicide Prevention News | April 23, 2015

Mental Health Awareness: A Focus On Suicide & Stigma Presentation | May 27, 2019

New York State Office Of Mental Health Announces Statewide Suicide Prevention Plan News | September 22, 2016

Practical Application Of Tools For Measurement-Based Care: Suicide Risk Screening Community Voices | December 24, 2018

Project 2025 Initiative Seeks To Reduce U.S. Suicide Rate 20% By 2025 News | December 14, 2016

Risk Factors For Suicide In Bipolar Disorder: A Systematic Review Research Summary | June 6, 2017

PsychU Supporters: An Interview With The American Association Of Suicidology Community Voices | June 10, 2019

Researchers Developing Universal Predictive Measure For Suicidality Perspective | December 2, 2016

Suicide Awareness & Prevention – A Psychiatrist’s Perspective Community Voices | August 16, 2018

Suicide Awareness & Prevention – A Psychologist’s Perspective Community Voices | July 10, 2018

Suicide Awareness & Prevention – An Advocate’s Perspective Community Voices | July 10, 2018

Suicide Awareness & Prevention – An Ally’s Perspective Community Voices | July 10, 2018

Suicide Awareness In Primary Care Presentation | October 31, 2017

Suicide Prevention App Unveiled By SAMHSA News | June 10, 2015

Social Determinants Of Behavioral Health: Addressing Suicide In The Community Archived Webinar | February 28, 2018

The Joint Commission Updates Suicide Prevention Guidelines, Recommends Greater Vigilance In Non-Acute & Acute Care Settings News | June 13, 2016

The Missing Puzzle Piece In Suicide Prevention: An Interview With Danei Edelen Community Voices | May 22, 2018

Utah Senator Holds Suicide-Prevention Conference News | January 19, 2017

Young People Living With A Chronic Illness Are Three Times More Likely To Attempt Suicide News | September 25, 2017

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