Suicide is a worldwide public health problem that is increasing and whose severity affects all social strata. These events are frequently assisted by the out-of-hospital emergency service. They are the first link in response to suicidal behavior; it is often the first contact that the person involved has with the health services. Because the field of action is out-of-hospital, they do not have the resources or facilities that a hospital setting provides. So their action must be supported by solid knowledge about this type of patient to provide the effective assistance sought.
In the emergency services, these skills are acquired with daily practice and experience, and clinical practice guidelines indicate that health professionals involved in the care of patients with suicidal behavior must have adequate training that allows them to assess the presence of risk factors for suicidal behavior and record the patient’s risk profile.
Here you will read some essential tips for supporting people with suicidal thoughts, those who have attempted suicide, and the families of people who have died for this reason.
What to Do to Deal With a Suicide Attempt?
Secure the area, guaranteeing the safety of the intervening team, and assessing the possibility that the person threatening to take his or her own life may also cause harm to others. The ambulance’s light and acoustic signals will also be turned off as we approach the place where the subject is located.
Upon arriving at the scene, a primary assessment of the person will be carried out, another of the environment, and the appropriate security measures will be taken. Although we do not have much time, we will begin to collect as much relevant data as possible about the suicide through the environment found at the scene.
We will proceed to establish contact with the affected person with verbal and non-verbal communication, we will not try to make him or her reason, we only want to gain time for his or her emotional state to change. We will express our intention to help. Then we will give him or her our name and try to get him or her to tell us his or hers. We will approach the subject cautiously and ask permission (you can use it as an excuse that we want our conversation to be more private), avoiding sudden movements so that he or she does not perceive us as a threat.
Finally, the patient should be transferred to a hospital by ambulance and should be sedated. If the patient is not sedated, he or she should always be accompanied by a professional and constantly monitored until the end of the transfer.
After a Suicide Attempt
The patient is likely to feel exhausted, as extreme fatigue is a usual symptom after surviving a suicide attempt. On the other hand, the person may feel very angry, humiliated, or ashamed for having attempted suicide.
The reactions of other people to suicide, being taken to the hospital, being treated in an emergency room or other type of health care facility are very overwhelming. However, the patient can recover and overcome the feelings produced by this situation.
The medical team should provide treatment for a suicide attempt in the emergency room. If the psychiatrists deem the patient medically stable, the patient may be discharged or admitted to the hospital. The psychiatrist may also consider the patient to be hospitalized.
The emergency medical staff should provide the patient with a follow-up plan to help care for himself or herself after discharge. The exact steps in this plan will vary for each person, but will likely include:
- A short-term appointment with a mental health professional (a psychiatrist or a clinical psychologist).
- Information about local and national resources and telephone helplines that can provide guidance and support.
How to Help the Family of Someone Who Committed Suicide?
Guilt, unanswered questions, and the malicious gaze of others are among the challenges that those who experience these losses must face; active listening and being available are two keys to providing support.
First of all, the hardest part is dealing with the scene where the suicide occurred. Regardless of how the person ended their life, the family will most likely be so upset that they do not want to have to clean or organize the scene themselves. In this case, you can suggest using a professional trauma clean-up service, such as the one available at traumaservices.com, so they do not have to get involved with the scene personally. They can also take care of removing the deceased person’s possessions.
An alternative in the grieving process is peer groups, spaces where many family members find a place of reference and support. If we know one, we can suggest that the person experiencing the loss consult with them and even offer to accompany them or make an initial call on their behalf.
People who are grieving through suicide lose hope and feel that there is no future and that they will never be able to feel joy again. Those who have gone through the same thing open up a panorama for them, they tell them what they experienced and realize that if that person is well, they too can get better. Self-help groups are lights on the path that accompany them.
All emotions are valid and can occur at any time during the grieving process with varying intensity, without following a specific chronological order. They must give themselves permission to feel and express themselves. Those who have sought help and are working through their grief begin to recover positive memories of the missing person without so much pain, and they begin to speak naturally about them again among their family and friends. In other words, they return their presence to daily life without feeling that anguish.
Conclusion
The role of the medical professional is crucial in helping people overcome a suicide attempt or in helping family members cope with the loss of a loved one. Reading up on the topic and preparing yourself will be helpful for all people in their healing process.
