Discovering the Truth in Attempted Suicide

Abstract

The findings of an international workshop on improving clinical interactions between mental health workers and suicidal patients are reported. Expert clinician-researchers identified common contemporary problems in interviews of suicide attempters. Various videotaped interviews of suicide attempters were critically discussed in relation to expert experience and the existing literature in this area. The working group agreed that current mental health practice often does not take into account the subjective experience of patients attempting suicide, and that contemporary clinical assessments of suicidal behavior are more clinician-centered than patient-centered. The group concluded that clinicians should strive for a shared understanding of the patient's suicidality; and that interviewers should be more aware of the suicidal patient's inner experience of mental pain and loss of self-respect. Collaborative and narrative approaches to the suicidal patient are more promising, enhancing the clinician's ability to empathize and help the patient begin to reestablish a sense of mastery, thereby strengthening the clinical alliance.

Former suicidal inpatients’ experiences of treatment and care in psychiatric wards in Norway

“…Even the assumption that 90% of all suicides are associated with mental disorders (Cavanagh, Carson, Sharpe, & Lawrie, 2003) is strongly challenged by researchers who argue that there is no valid evidence for this 90% statistic (Hjelmeland, Dieserud, Dyregrov, Knizek, & Leenaars, 2012). However, psychiatry continues to be heavily influenced by a biomedical ideology that in turn affects how mental health workers understand suicidality and approach suicidal patients (Hagen et al, 2017; Michel et al, 2002). In keeping with previous research (Lees et al, 2014; Talseth et al, 1999, 2001), our study suggests that suicidal patients want mental health workers to focus less on medical models and approaches in their care for them.…”

Självet och suicidaliteten

“…Detta är psykiaterns främsta bundsförvant såväl vid psykisk sjukdom som suicidalitet. Den enskilda människans in flytande över sin sjukdom och sin suicidalitet behöver stärkas (Michel 2002, Sheldon 2003, Hellström 2013.…”

“…En behandlare som sitter på andra sidan skrivbordet med patienten på tre till fyra meters avstånd kan således missa det väsentliga i kommunikationen. Samtalet tillfredsställer då klinikerns behov mer än patientens enligt Michel (2002).…”

Pathways to Attempted Suicide as Reflected in the Narratives of People with Lived Experience

“…Suicide is a long process that is affected by past events (Michel et al 2002;Wasserman 2016c). Dieserud and colleagues 2002 found in their study on the association between negative childhood issues and suicide attempts that negative childhood events affected suicidal behaviours.…”