Suicide prevention: methods and relevant factors

How can psychology help to reduce the chances of suicide?

Suicide is not only the consequence of specific mental problems, but is associated with different global risk factors that affect a large number of people.

In this article we will analyze the most relevant factors in suicide and in its preventionas well as the most common methods of psychological intervention in these cases.

Relevant factors in suicide

According to data from the World Health Organization (2014), every year more than 800 thousand people commit suicide in the world.; it is the tenth leading cause of death worldwide. If we also add up the number of unsuccessful attempts, the number increases approximately tenfold, and many people have recurrent suicidal thoughts that they do not carry out.

The most common methods of suicide vary from place to place, but usually include asphyxiation, poisoning and, in places where these are easily accessible, the use of firearms. There is a higher risk of suicide in people over 70 years of age and in those between 15 and 30 years of age; in the latter case, wealthier countries are an exception.

The conception of suicide as a taboo and a crime, which is present in the majority of the world's population, is a major obstacle to suicide.which is present in most cultures, has historically hindered human communication on this subject and its naturalization, and consequently also the prevention of this phenomenon. Even in the field of clinical psychology it is a delicate issue due to the frequency of reports to professionals.

It is important to keep in mind that suicide is not simply a mental problem that arises in certain individuals, but that there are many variables that affect the entire general population or some groups that increase the risk of suicide, such as psychosocial stress and lack of economic resources.

Some of the risk factors risk factors most clearly associated with suicideaccording to the available scientific literature, are the following:

• Stressful life events, such as death of spouse, severe economic hardship or bullying (in children).
• Depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, OCD and other psychological problems involving hopelessness.
• Social stigmatization of mental disorders, especially suicidal ruminations.
• Suicidal ideation and references to the possibility of committing suicide.
• Abuse of and dependence on alcohol, benzodiazepines, heroin and other central nervous system depressants
• Personal or family history of suicide attempts
• Access to firearms, poison or other deadly instruments
• Traumatic brain injuries and other brain injuries

How to prevent suicide?

The traditional approach to suicide prevention has been to study risk factors in order to modify them in people in whom suicidal ideation is detected. However, it is not very clear that this approach is effective; in this sense, it is most likely that the necessary measures lie at a deeper level of society.

The WHO recommends that all states in the world adopt a series of measures for the prevention of suicide. suicide prevention measuresThese are also relevant from a practical point of view because of the potentially high public cost of health care. At the end of this article you can find the reference to this text.

This organization also recommends strategies such as emergency hospitalization for people at high risk of suicide, treatment of the problems underlying suicidal ideation, participation in support groups and the practice of psychologically beneficial activities such as physical exercise and meditation.

On the other hand, it is important to mention the factors that protect against suicide. In general terms, we can highlight the following:

• Presence of a strong social and family support network.
• Active participation in the community or society
• Access to therapeutic and psychosocial services.
• Good interpersonal and problem-solving skills
• High degree of self-control and self-efficacy expectations
• Adequate management of stressful life events
• Treatment of underlying psychological disturbances
• Beliefs and values that favor support-seeking or reject suicide.

Psychological intervention methods

Among all the psychological intervention programs, the one that stands out most for its effectiveness in preventing suicide is the one developed by Marsha Linehan for borderline personality disorder. Research reveals a reduction in suicide attempts and hospitalizations in people treated with this method.

Approximately half of the people who commit suicide meet the criteria for major depressive disorder.. In this sense, cognitive therapy and behavioral activation therapy, which is derived from the previous one, have been shown to be useful in reducing suicidal ideation and other depressive symptoms.

In the field of health psychology, mainly in collaboration with public entities, psychoeducational tasks and emotional or social support are sometimes promoted, and some screening tests are also administered in at-risk populations, such as adolescents. However, these types of interventions are quite rare in many places.

More generally, it is important to bear in mind that suicide is associated above all with a poor quality of life.. Any policy measure that improves the satisfaction and well-being of people in a place will decrease their risk of suicide, such as improving access to health services or increasing average wages.