Suicide Prevention

Question 0

4 risk factors for suicide?

Answer 0

Previous suicide attempts.
Hopelessness
Impulsivity and aggression
Psychiatric diagnoses (depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, etc.)

Question 1

What’s one of the few suicide prevention strategies actually proven to work by RCT?

Answer 1

Sending contact notes to patients.

Question 2

How heritable is suicidality?

Answer 2

30-50% heritable.

Question 3

What’s one specific genetic factor that may impact suicide risk?

Answer 3

5-HT 2A receptor expression

Question 4

What’s the stress diathesis model for suicide?

Answer 4

Most patients with conditions like depression don’t commit suicide. It may be that those that do have an underlying predisposition to suicidality.

Question 5

For what patients was dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) designed for?

Answer 5

Women with borderline personality disorder.

Question 6

What are 3 behaviors that DBT aims to decrease?

Answer 6

Life-threatening behaviors
Therapy interfering behaviors
Severe quality-of-life interfering behaviors

Question 7

What are 5 behavioral skills that DBT aims to increase?

Answer 7

Mindfulness
Interpersonal Effectiveness
Emotional Regulation
Distress Tolerance
Self-Management

Question 8

What’s a “safety plan”?

Answer 8

Steps for patients to follow when they feel suicidal.

Question 9

6 steps in a safety plan?

Answer 9

1. Recognize warning signs of oncoming crisis.
2. Employ internal coping strategies.
3. Socialize with family/friends to distract from ideation.
4. Tell family/friends about how you’re feeling.
5. Contact mental health professionals.
6. Reduce potential for using lethal means.

Question 10

3 tasks that can help prevent suicide attempts?

Answer 10

Creating a hope box.
Creating “coping cards” with responses to suicidal thoughts that run through people’s heads.
Performing relapse prevention (imagination/visualization) tasks.