Guide to recommendations for suicide prevention
Talking about a topic that remains taboo is always complicated. Not discussing it as a society means the problem isn't perceived correctly. This is the case with suicide, a phenomenon riddled with misconceptions and prejudices that hinder its full understanding and, more importantly, its prevention.
Every 40 seconds, someone in the world dies by suicide. This statistic is especially devastating when we know that these deaths are preventable. With this in mind, it's crucial to provide tools that allow us to better recognize the warning signs and what each of us can do if we suspect someone is having suicidal thoughts.
Although there is a lot of interesting and easily accessible material available, I recently worked on a guide of recommendations for people with suicidal behavior, their families, and loved ones. This is the final project for a course I took on how to develop patient guides. This guide and its recommendations are based on the Clinical Practice Guideline " Prevention and Treatment of Suicidal Behavior " from GuíaSalud , which was revised in September 2020.
In addition to this guide, I have created an infographic with some key recommendations for people with suicidal behavior, family members and friends, a format that can be practical and easy to share with them.
What are the risk factors for suicide?
- Having previous mental disorders: depression, anxiety, etc.
- Alcohol or other substance abuse.
- Previous attempts or suicidal ideation.
- Illness or physical or psychological disability.
- Be male or over 35 years old.
What circumstances can precipitate suicide?
- An important discussion.
- The breakup or loss of an emotional relationship.
- The suicide of a family member or friend.
- Alcohol or other substance abuse.
- A report on suicide methods.
- The onset or worsening of a mental disorder, physical illness, or accident.
- Unexpected changes in life.
- Experiencing a traumatic life event: abuse, harassment, or violence.
- Loss of social status or respect from others.
Recommendations and messages for people with suicidal thoughts
- Believe that there is another solution to suicide, even if you don't see it right now.
- Seek help as soon as possible: family, friends, or a healthcare professional.
- Don't keep your suicidal thoughts to yourself.
- Postpone any decision about suicide.
- Stay with others. Don't isolate yourself.
- Think of crises as temporary, while death is not.
- People who have thought about committing suicide did not really want to die, but rather to end their suffering.
- Think about things or people that have helped you through difficult times. They are worth living for.
- Try to focus on the day-to-day.
- When you feel discouraged, avoid drugs and alcohol.
- Stay healthy, exercise, and eat well.
- Consult your primary healthcare professional for support or treatment.
- Write a journal in which you can write down the things that are really important to you.
It is important to strengthen the factors that can protect against suicidal thoughts
- Having skills in conflict resolution.
- Having confidence in oneself.
- Having social skills.
- Having children.
- Having family and social support.
- Having religious beliefs and practices.
- Treating alcohol and drug abuse.
What changes should we be aware of?
- When someone threatens to harm themselves.
- When they look for resources or talk about a plan.
- When there is sadness or hopelessness.
- When they express suicidal thoughts or a feeling of not seeing a way out.
- When they write farewell notes.
- When they hand over valuable possessions.
- When they are isolated.
- When alcohol or drug use increases.
- When a sleep or appetite disorder occurs.
- When they express that there is no reason to live.
Here you can see the complete infographic. It's a project I created for this course, and I thought it would be interesting to share because it can be useful for professionals working in suicide prevention. I recommend carefully reading the clinical practice guide and the recommendations guide from Guía Salud, where I obtained this information.
“An informed and educated person is a healthier person,” says Pedro Soriano, president of the #FFPaciente Association . Therefore, the best way to facilitate knowledge is by sharing it, talking about suicide, and fostering peer support.
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