Suicidal Risk Factors

University:
Stanford University
Course:
MED 101 | Human Anatomy
Academic year:

2024
Views:

58

Pages:

1
Author:

larbi43100

‭SUICIDAL RISK FACTORS‬ ‭The‬ ‭topic‬ ‭of‬ ‭suicide‬ ‭should‬ ‭be‬ ‭discussed‬ ‭openly‬ ‭with‬ ‭any‬ ‭depressed‬ ‭adult‬ ‭or‬ ‭adolescent.‬ ‭Suicidal‬‭risk‬‭can‬‭be‬‭estimated‬‭using‬‭several‬‭clinical‬‭means‬‭or‬‭psychometric‬‭scales.‬‭The‬‭RUD‬ ‭tool is simple and fast. It allows the evaluation of three essential components:‬ ‭ ‬ ‭Suicidal risk (R)‬ ➔ ‭➔‬ ‭The Urgency of the Threat (U)‬ ‭➔‬ ‭the Dangerousness of the suicidal scenario (D).‬ ‭The risk : Factors related to the depressed patient‬ ‭●‬ ‭Male gender (female gender is associated with more suicide attempts)‬ ‭●‬ ‭Age : adolescents and the elderly have a higher risk of suicide‬ ‭●‬ ‭Physical illnesses‬ ‭●‬ ‭Taking‬ ‭substancesleads‬ ‭to‬ ‭disinhibition,‬ ‭cognitive‬ ‭deficits,‬ ‭anxiety‬ ‭and/or‬ ‭psychotic‬ ‭symptoms‬ ‭●‬ ‭Family‬ ‭history‬ ‭of‬ ‭suicide‬ ‭and‬ ‭personal‬ ‭history‬ ‭of‬ ‭suicide‬ ‭attempts‬ ‭especially‬ ‭among‬ ‭adolescents‬ ‭where‬ ‭40%‬ ‭of‬ ‭suicide‬ ‭deaths‬ ‭were‬ ‭preceded‬ ‭by‬ ‭a‬ ‭history.‬‭The‬‭more‬‭serious‬‭the‬ ‭history, the higher the risk‬ ‭●‬ ‭impulsiveness or comorbidity with personality disorder :‬ ‭❖‬ ‭Stressorsespecially among young adolescents (under 14 years old)‬ ‭❖‬ ‭Lack‬ ‭of‬ ‭support‬ ‭from‬ ‭family‬ ‭or‬ ‭friendswith‬ ‭rejection‬ ‭by‬‭a‬‭significant‬‭other,‬ ‭breakups, hostile environment or poor social relationships‬ ‭❖‬ ‭Media‬ ‭coverage‬ ‭of‬ ‭suicide,‬ ‭with‬ ‭detailed‬ ‭description‬ ‭and‬ ‭presentation‬ ‭of‬ ‭suicides as heroes (major impact on adolescents)‬ ‭ ‬ ‭Accessibility of suicidal means and obstacles to care‬ ❖ ‭❖‬ ‭Severe‬ ‭intensity‬ ‭with‬ ‭presence‬ ‭of‬ ‭despairwhich‬ ‭is‬ ‭made‬ ‭up‬ ‭of‬ ‭negative‬ ‭expectations‬‭of‬‭oneself,‬‭others‬‭and‬‭the‬‭future.‬‭For‬‭a‬‭desperate‬‭person,‬‭suicide‬ ‭is seen as a last resort‬ ‭❖‬ ‭Melancholic‬‭characteristicswith‬‭in‬‭particular‬‭the‬‭presence‬‭of‬‭moral‬‭pain‬‭with‬ ‭ideas of indignity and guilt‬ ‭❖‬ ‭Anxious‬ ‭component‬ ‭which‬ ‭reduces‬ ‭and‬ ‭sometimes‬ ‭eliminates‬ ‭psychomotor‬ ‭slowing, which raises suspicion of impulsive acting out‬ ‭❖‬ ‭Presence of psychotic features (delusional depression)‬