Coping With Suicidal Thoughts: A Survey of Personal Experience

Simon, Gregory E.; Specht, Cynthia; Doederlein, Allen

doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201500281

Cited by 15 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…However, some veterans felt they played games excessively or were addicted, and reported that gaming affected relationships, finances or time management. Thematic analysis clarified how our sample’s use of video games corresponds to known areas of mental health recovery and suicide prevention (Bryan, 2016; Bush et al, 2015; Deegan, 2005; Garland et al, 2015; MacDonald-Wilson et al, 2013; National Academies of Sciences, 2016; Shand et al, 2015; Simon et al, 2016; Struszczyk et al, 2017; Villaggi et al, 2015; Whitley and Drake, 2010), as illustrated in Table 1.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Connection, meaning, and distraction: A qualitative study of video game play and mental health recovery in veterans treated for mental and/or behavioral health problems

Carras

Kalbarczyk

Wells

et al. 2018

Social Science & Medicine

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Rationale: Mental and behavioral health recovery includes concepts related not just to symptom improvement, but also to participating in activities that contribute to wellness and a meaningful life. Video game play can relieve stress and provide a way to connect, which may be especially important for military veterans. Objective: We examined how military veterans used video game play to further their mental and behavioral health recovery by conducting an exploratory thematic analysis of the gaming habits of 20 United States military veterans who were in treatment for mental or behavioral health problems. Method: We conducted semi-structured interviews in 2016 and used a framework analytic approach to determine salient themes linking video gaming to mental and behavioral health recovery. Results: Veteran participants reported that video games helped not only with managing moods and stress, but also with three areas related to other aspects of recovery: adaptive coping (e.g. distraction, control, symptom substitution); eudaimonic well-being (confidence, insight, role functioning); and socializing (participation, support, brotherhood). Meaning derived from game narratives and characters, exciting or calming gameplay, and opportunities to connect, talk, and lead others were credited as benefits of gaming. Responses often related closely to military or veteran experiences. At times, excessive use of games led to life problems or feeling addicted, but some veterans with disabilities felt the advantages of extreme play outweighed these problems. Conclusion: Video games seem to provide some veterans with a potent form of “personal medicine” that can promote recovery. Although reasons and results of gaming may vary within and among individuals, clinicians may wish to discuss video game play with their patients to help patients optimize their use of games to support recovery.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Connection, meaning, and distraction: A qualitative study of video game play and mental health recovery in veterans treated for mental and/or behavioral health problems

Carras

Kalbarczyk

Wells

et al. 2018

Social Science & Medicine

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“…Regarding suicide-specific coping, Simon et al ( 47 ) asked participants in an online survey which adaptive (e.g., distraction, positive self-talk) and maladaptive (e.g., alcohol and substance use) coping strategies they apply when experiencing suicidal thoughts. They found, for example, that almost 90% of participants used distraction, a method they experienced as moderately useful.…”

Section: New Directions Of Conceptualizing Suicidality: the Dual-syst...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding suicidal pathways through the lens of a Dual-System Model of Suicidality in real-time: The potential of ecological momentary assessments

et al. 2022

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Within the ideation-to-action framework, existing theories of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) primarily focus on the linear progression of suicide risk. This, however, neglects growing evidence that many suicidal individuals do not experience their suicide attempt as a planned action, and in some instances deny even having experienced any suicidal thoughts. Furthermore, recent research has found that risk factors differ substantially between persons and that this is reflected in the variety of suicidal pathways. Considering the strong variability of STBs, new innovative theoretical concepts and assessment methods are needed to advance our understanding of multiple suicidal pathways. In this review, we apply a dual-system framework to suicidality, the Dual-System Model of Suicidality (DSMS), which accounts for two different systems of information processing and behavior. The first of these described is the reflective system, whereby STBs are viewed from a self-regulation perspective and thusly considered as maladaptive coping behavior to perceived discrepancies regarding important goals. Applying a feedback-based view such as this to STBs provides a deeper understanding into underlying psychological processes involved in the development of STBs. The second system described by the DSMS is the impulsive system. Here, STBs are seen as a maladaptive self-organizing pattern that gets activated in high-risk situations of acute stress, negative affect, and when resources of the reflective system are depleted. In this context, the DSMS is informed by a strength model of self-regulation, which assumes that self-regulation resources are limited, an aspect with important theoretical and clinical implications for the development of STBs. In order to demonstrate the theoretical and practical utility of the DSMS, this review draws mainly on studies using ecological momentary assessment (EMA), a technology that allows to investigate moment-to-moment changes in STBs, and is therefore well suited for capturing the complex interplay of self-regulatory and impulsive processes proposed by the DSMS. The application of a dual-system framework to suicide research represents an innovative and integrative approach for expanding our knowledge about fundamental processes and how their dynamics lead to STBs. The usefulness of the DSMS, implications for future suicide research with EMA, and clinical implications are discussed.

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“…To increase adherence to treatment, it seems particularly important to consider the patients' perspective when developing interventions. This is also advocated by health-care agendas (Barr et al, 2014), especially as Simon, Specht, and Doederlein (2016) revealed the paradox that whereas the large majority of people who experienced suicide ideations agreed that forced treatment is sometimes required, more than half of the sample was unwilling to speak with a professional about their suicidality. To conclude, there is a lack of depression-specific group therapy approaches that address suicidality directly.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metacognitive Training for Depression: Feasibility, safety and acceptability of two new treatment modules to reduce suicidality

Jelinek

Peth

Runde

et al. 2020

Clin Psychology and Psychoth

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Recent evidence favours psychological interventions explicitly targeting suicidality; however, group treatments on suicidality are rare and are assumed to have unfavourable effects. We developed two modules specifically addressing suicidality that replace two existing modules in the Metacognitive Training for Depression (D-MCT). The aim of the current study was to examine the feasibility, safety, and acceptability of this intervention (D-MCT/S). Forty-eight inpatients with depression received eight sessions of D-MCT/S over 4 weeks in addition to standard treatment. Patients were assessed before the training, 4 and 8 weeks later regarding suicidality (primary outcome: Beck Suicide Scale [BSS]), hopelessness, depression (e.g. Hamilton Depression Rating Scale [HDRS]), dysfunctional attitudes, and self-esteem. Negative effects of the modules and subjective appraisal were assessed. Suicidality, hopelessness, and depression decreased over time. Whereas the effects on the BSS onlyreached trend level, a large effect was observed when the suicide item of the HDRS was used. Two of the 46 patients (4%) reported a deterioration in their symptoms, but this was not associated with the D-MCT/S. Negative effects of the general training were rather low, and acceptability was high. In general, patients evaluated the two new modules on suicidality similarly to the established modules. However, both modules were assessed as distressing by 39% of the patients. When we addressed suicidality in the D-MCT/S, we did not observe any contagious effects. In fact, the pilot versions of the two modules on suicidality are promising in terms of feasibility, safety, and acceptability. The results will be used to improve current shortcomings.

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Coping With Suicidal Thoughts: A Survey of Personal Experience

Cited by 15 publications

References 6 publications

Connection, meaning, and distraction: A qualitative study of video game play and mental health recovery in veterans treated for mental and/or behavioral health problems

Connection, meaning, and distraction: A qualitative study of video game play and mental health recovery in veterans treated for mental and/or behavioral health problems

Understanding suicidal pathways through the lens of a Dual-System Model of Suicidality in real-time: The potential of ecological momentary assessments

Metacognitive Training for Depression: Feasibility, safety and acceptability of two new treatment modules to reduce suicidality

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