Deadly Silence: Part Two
“We cannot direct the wind but we can adjust the sails”- Unknown author
Taking off from where we stopped last month, we need to remember that people who attempt suicide value their lives, too. It is an error on our part to think otherwise. The community’s negative mind set towards suicide has given rise to a unique form of stigma, causing some individuals and their families to shy away from getting the help that could be life-saving.
Stigma
There are two terms I would like to address before I move on; Prejudice and Discrimination.
Prejudice usually arises when a person’s deep sense of belief is challenged or threatened. It is an attitude adopted due to lack of exposure and it involves prejudging a group which …show more content…
Our core duty is to heal not judge.
Not only is it important for us to be non-judgmental and empathic, we also need to advice the family members of the sufferer to follow suit.
Sometimes it is our discomfort that makes us appear abrupt when dealing with a patient. Not because we do not care. How comfortable are you personally, to deal with an individual who has revealed his suicidal intentions to you?
What would your reaction be both inwardly and externally? Remember, every sign that emanates from you subtle or otherwise is picked up by the patient. On a scale of zero to ten, where zero means completely at ease, and a ten means total discomfort, where do you stand?
Brushing the idea off with the sweep of our hand is never going to work. Some tend to make jokes in their bid to cheer the individual. Never make jokes or trivialise the suicidal thought or attempt.
It is important for us to first deal with our discomfort , lest it affects our ability to assess.
Recognising …show more content…
My suggestion would be to screen them anyway. Empathy, patience and concern on your part can help open up a vault of information. Having said that, those who are determined to end their lives often mask their intentions very well. We can only do our best. To do our best, it is important that we as front liners, arm ourselves with the knowledge on how to recognise, assess and manage this vulnerable group of individuals. For every patient who appears depressed, screening for suicidal ideation, plan, intent or attempt is vital. The history will alert you about the risk factors and also protective factors (kindly refer to the
“We cannot direct the wind but we can adjust the sails”- Unknown author
Taking off from where we stopped last month, we need to remember that people who attempt suicide value their lives, too. It is an error on our part to think otherwise. The community’s negative mind set towards suicide has given rise to a unique form of stigma, causing some individuals and their families to shy away from getting the help that could be life-saving.
Stigma
There are two terms I would like to address before I move on; Prejudice and Discrimination.
Prejudice usually arises when a person’s deep sense of belief is challenged or threatened. It is an attitude adopted due to lack of exposure and it involves prejudging a group which …show more content…
Our core duty is to heal not judge.
Not only is it important for us to be non-judgmental and empathic, we also need to advice the family members of the sufferer to follow suit.
Sometimes it is our discomfort that makes us appear abrupt when dealing with a patient. Not because we do not care. How comfortable are you personally, to deal with an individual who has revealed his suicidal intentions to you?
What would your reaction be both inwardly and externally? Remember, every sign that emanates from you subtle or otherwise is picked up by the patient. On a scale of zero to ten, where zero means completely at ease, and a ten means total discomfort, where do you stand?
Brushing the idea off with the sweep of our hand is never going to work. Some tend to make jokes in their bid to cheer the individual. Never make jokes or trivialise the suicidal thought or attempt.
It is important for us to first deal with our discomfort , lest it affects our ability to assess.
Recognising …show more content…
My suggestion would be to screen them anyway. Empathy, patience and concern on your part can help open up a vault of information. Having said that, those who are determined to end their lives often mask their intentions very well. We can only do our best. To do our best, it is important that we as front liners, arm ourselves with the knowledge on how to recognise, assess and manage this vulnerable group of individuals. For every patient who appears depressed, screening for suicidal ideation, plan, intent or attempt is vital. The history will alert you about the risk factors and also protective factors (kindly refer to the