Suicide

Question 1

What are risk factors for suicide?

Answer 1

• poverty
• single
• social isolation (rural areas)
• lack of social support
• medical co-morbidity
• mental health disorder
• substance use

Question 2

What groups are at high risk for suicide?

Answer 2

• older adults (often overlooked, more accepted, more lethal)
• teens (high rate, especially since they aren’t dying of other stuff)
• Indigenous population
• LGBTQI population
• men (rate of successful suicide is higher as men choose more lethal methods like guns, attempts are higher in women, who often use pills)

Question 3

What does a comprehensive suicide risk entail?

Answer 3

• stressors
• symptoms of depression
• self harm behaviours, plans
• resources and support

Question 4

What are the acronyms you can use to assess suicide?

Answer 4

IS PATH WARM, SLAP

I- ideation
S - substance abuse
P - purposelessness
A - anxiety
T - trapped
H - hopelessness
W - withdrawal
A - anger
R - recklessness
M - mood changes

S - specific plan?
L - lethal?
A - available?
P - proximity?

Question 5

What drugs would you avoid using in patients with a higher risk of suicide? Why?

Answer 5

• MAOIs
• tricyclics

higher risk of fatality in overdose/narrow therapeutic window