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SUICIDE

SUICIDE. Dr. Kayj Nash Okine. Important Statistics. Gender differences: females are 3x more likely to attempt suicide; males are 4-5x more likely to commit suicide

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SUICIDE

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  1. SUICIDE Dr. Kayj Nash Okine

  2. Important Statistics • Gender differences: females are 3x more likely to attempt suicide; males are 4-5x more likely to commit suicide • Age factors: dramatic increase in suicide rates among adolescents and the elderly; highest rates for older-age men & middle-age women • Ethnic/racial factors: white; native American

  3. General Warning Signs for Suicide • Verbal suicide threats; talk of wanting to die • Previous suicide attempt • Risk-taking or reckless behavior • Final arrangements – making peace, giving away possessions • Neglect of academics, work, or personal appearance • Separation from loved ones or significant others • Themes of death, depression, or suicide in writing or art • Unusual purchases – gun, rope, medications, poisons • Increased sadness, discouragement, or loneliness • Sudden happiness following prolonged depression • Hyperactivity, substance abuse, aggression

  4. Warning Signs for Suicide in Adolescents • Social withdrawal • Increased irritability, moodiness • Writing goodbye letters to friends • Giving away possessions • Decline in school performance • Loss of appetite • Fatigue • Loss of sleep, changes in sleep patterns

  5. Risk Factors For Suicide • Stressful life events: loss of, or abandonment by, significant others; abuse; social alienation – lack of social support; financial hardship • Social contagion or clustering • Serious physical illness • Mental illness – mood disorders, alcohol & other substance abuse, borderline personality disorder • Genetic factors – 6-fold increase if family member attempted suicide • Biochemistry – low levels of serotonin • Personality factors – impulsivity, instability, emotional reactivity, risk-taking • Access to lethal means

  6. Suicide Prevention • Raise the subject directly • Express care and concern • Be willing to talk to the person and listen • Don’t try to fix the problem or be their therapist • Strongly encourage the person to seek professional help • Contact a family member or significant other to share your concerns • Maintain contact with the person • Don’t leave the person alone if in immediate crisis or danger

  7. Treatment and Prevention • Community-Based Prevention: crisis intervention programs; suicide hotlines; school programs; awareness-raising programs • Drug Treatments: lithium; SSRI’s • Psychological Treatments: suicide assessment; cognitive behavioral therapy; dialectical behavior therapy; no-suicide contract

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