Suicidality

HELP FOR SUICIDALITY

: What is Suicidality?
: What Causes Suicidality?
: Help for Suicidality
: Getting Treatment for Suicidality at The Mental Health Collective

WHAT IS SUICIDALITY?

Suicidality can be defined as a preoccupation with recurring thoughts of harming oneself, ending one’s life, or feelings that life is no longer worth living. This can manifest in:

  • Talking about suicide
  • Isolating from family and friends
  • Increased use of alcohol and other substances
  • Reckless /risky behavior
  • Developing a plan to kill oneself
  • Stockpiling drugs
  • Purchasing a firearm or other weapon
  • Suicide attempts

Suicidality is often a manifestation of underlying mental illness or a sign of despair and hopelessness. Suicidal thoughts can range from brief, fleeting ideation to more pervasive desires to harm oneself. Someone who is expressing suicidal thoughts should be considered as experiencing a mental health crisis.

WHAT CAUSES SUICIDALITY?

Usually, there is no single factor that causes a person to experience suicidal thoughts. Often an individual is struggling with an underlying mental health condition. However, there can also be a significant stressor or life event which, combined with other predisposing vulnerabilities, increases an individual’s sense of hopelessness and suffering.
Stressors or illnesses which may lead to suicidal thoughts in adults can include:

  • Loss of a loved one
  • Legal or financial problems
  • Medical problems such as chronic pain or terminal illness
  • PTSD
  • Addiction
  • Job loss
  • Major depression

For teens or children, stressors that may lead to suicidal thinking can include:

  • Loss of a loved one
  • Sexual or other abuse
  • Addiction
  • Bullying
  • Sexual orientation
  • Peer influences

Each child, adolescent, and adult is different in their underlying vulnerabilities and triggers for suicidal thoughts. It is important to remember that not everyone who is suicidal has underlying depression; often, suicidal acts are impulsive or respond to a life stressor.
Current U.S. Suicide Rates

Suicide rates in the United States have risen drastically in recent years. Since 1999, the number of people who die by their hand has gone up 33%, from 10 to 14.5 per 100,000. Suicide now ranks as the second-leading cause of death for young people aged 10-34 and the fourth-leading cause of death for people aged 35-54.

HELP FOR SUICIDALITY

If you or someone you know is exhibiting signs and symptoms of suicidal thinking, it is critical to seek support immediately. The first step in seeking support for suicidal ideation is getting professional help. Sources of professional service include suicide hotlines, emergency rooms, or reaching out to your psychotherapist, primary care doctor, or psychiatrist. Treatment begins first with ensuring that the affected individual is in a safe, contained environment where they cannot act on their suicidal thoughts. The next step is a comprehensive assessment by a mental health professional to understand the biological, psychological, and social components of someone’s suicidality. Finally, a treatment plan can be implemented.

Treatment often includes determining the most appropriate level of care (for example, outpatient, inpatient, residential) and then utilizing a combination of proper medications and psychotherapeutic approaches. If substance abuse is part of the challenge, detoxification and addiction treatment may also be needed. With appropriate treatment, suicidal thoughts and impulses often start to subside, and individuals begin to feel a sense of hopefulness once more.

ASANTE CAN ADDRESS & TREAT SUICIDALITY

In many instances, ASANTE can help you or your loved ones with suicidal thoughts. Treatment at ASANTE begins with a full bio-psycho-social assessment by a licensed clinician. After your comprehensive evaluation, we will establish a diagnosis and treatment plan. In the beginning, we will focus on stabilizing your mood and impulses to self-harm to ensure your safety. Our team will support you in implementing your treatment plan, including individual, group, family therapy and medications when appropriate.

Your individualized treatment plan may also include healthy activities such as:

  • Mindfulness and meditation practices
  • Nutrition
  • Exercise
  • Journaling
  • Art

Our goal is to move beyond symptom remission at ASANTE and move towards functional recovery. We want to support you in building a life aligned with your core values, meaning, and purpose.

Overcoming suicidality can be likened to walking through a pitch-dark tunnel, one step at a time. If you continue to go forward, eventually, a light appears at the end of the tunnel. Our caring and experienced mental health professionals and other support staff are here to walk through the tunnel with you. You don’t have to do it alone.

For more information about how we can help you, call ASANTE at 909.886.3322

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