Nair Vasundharaa S, Joseph Miriyam, Ealias Neslin M, Mohan Sharanya, Sreedaran Priya
Jindal Institute of Behavioural Sciences, OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India.
Department of Psychiatry, Indira Gandhi Co-Operative Hospital, Kadavanthra, Kochi, Kerala, India.
Indian J Psychiatry. 2024 Sep;66(9):796-804. doi: 10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_488_24. Epub 2024 Sep 19.
Persistent suicidal ideation, self-harm behaviors, and suicide attempts constitute suicidality and are consistent predictors for future suicides. Research on what protects individuals from harming themselves is equivocal. While factors like impulsivity could increase risk of suicide, research is needed on what stops people from acting out on self-harm thoughts/suicidal ideation.
To explore the help-seeking behaviors and other protective factors during periods of suicidality in individuals at risk of suicide.
This study aimed to explore help-seeking behavior and other protective factors that prevent or delay self-harm and suicide attempts during suicidality in individuals at risk. We used a qualitative study design and interviewed 15 participants comprising at-risk individuals, caregivers, and mental health professionals (MHPs). We used thematic analysis for deriving themes.
Themes in 'at-risk individuals' include mental state during suicidality, handling of oneself during suicidality, and seeking help from support systems. Themes from caregivers included handling of crises and the role of informal and formal support systems. Themes from MHPs included phenomenology of suicidality, handling of suicidality, help-seeking, and support systems.
At-risk individuals handle suicidality by either managing themselves on their own or seeking help from informal sources and formal health systems. Caregivers appear to be crucial stakeholders in help-seeking during self-harm. The involvement of caregivers - in discussion with the at-risk individual - should be a necessary component of suicide risk management. Suicide prevention policies at institutional, regional, and national levels should include strategies to prevent burnout and other occupational health issues in MHPs.
持续的自杀意念、自我伤害行为和自杀未遂构成自杀倾向，并且是未来自杀的一致预测因素。关于何种因素能保护个体免于自我伤害的研究尚无定论。虽然冲动等因素可能会增加自杀风险，但我们仍需研究是什么阻止人们将自我伤害想法/自杀意念付诸行动。
探讨有自杀风险个体在自杀倾向期间的求助行为及其他保护因素。
本研究旨在探讨有自杀风险个体在自杀倾向期间预防或延缓自我伤害和自杀未遂的求助行为及其他保护因素。我们采用定性研究设计，对15名参与者进行了访谈，这些参与者包括有自杀风险的个体、照顾者和心理健康专业人员（MHPs）。我们运用主题分析法来提炼主题。
“有自杀风险个体”的主题包括自杀倾向期间的心理状态、自杀倾向期间的自我应对以及向支持系统求助。照顾者的主题包括危机处理以及非正式和正式支持系统的作用。心理健康专业人员的主题包括自杀倾向的现象学、自杀倾向的处理、求助行为和支持系统。
有自杀风险的个体通过自行管理或向非正式渠道和正式医疗系统求助来应对自杀倾向。照顾者似乎是自我伤害期间求助行为的关键利益相关者。照顾者的参与——与有自杀风险的个体进行讨论——应成为自杀风险管理的必要组成部分。机构、地区和国家层面的自杀预防政策应包括预防心理健康专业人员职业倦怠和其他职业健康问题的策略。
