Psychological stress and suicidal behavior

This is an automatically translated article.

Suicidal thoughts and behaviors are formed for many different reasons. Among them, psychological stress and mental illnesses such as depression and schizophrenia are the most common causes. Early identification of a person with suicidal thoughts and emergency treatment when a suicide occurs is essential.

1. The concept of suicidal behavior

Suicidal ideation is when a person has thoughts of wanting to die, is thinking, considering, or planning to commit suicide but has not yet acted. Suicidal thoughts range from fleeting thoughts to specific thoughts, brooding about suicide to detailed planning.
Attempted suicide is a patient who has consciously thought about killing himself, and then committed suicide but failed to complete it.
Suicide (suicide) is when the patient has committed the act of intentionally causing his own death (completion suicide).
Around the world, someone commits suicide every 40 seconds. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every year there are about 10 to 20 million suicides, of which about one million people die. Vietnam has about 36,000 to 40,000 people commit suicide every year, of which 5,000 people die from depression leading to suicidal behavior.
Methods of suicide can be violent or non-violent, depending on the cause, nature and detail of the suicide plan and the intensity of the suicidal ideation. Common methods of suicide are:
Fasting (fasting) Self-suffocating Self-injury, blood loss Self-immolation/electric shock Drink poison

2. Causes of suicidal behavior

Some of the main causes believed to lead to suicidal behavior include:
Mental illness: major depression (especially when accompanied by delusions of guilt), bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia, confusion dissociation disorder. Delusions, hallucinations dominant in psychosis due to alcohol, synthetic drugs Twilight state of consciousness, restlessness, restlessness. Chronic diseases such as cancer, HIV, paralysis after a cerebrovascular accident cause patients to lose faith in hope, fall into a state of sadness and depression, and do not want to continue living. Excessive psychological stress, prolonged stress: Too disappointed, miserable or too sad and depressed about a certain issue that cannot be resolved. Feeling stuck, life has no way out. Conflict with family and friends. Financial difficulties, failure at work. Violent, abused. After losing a loved one, after a divorce

3. Signs of a person intending to commit suicide

Or lament about the present life, despair, stalemate, no way out, loss of faith in the future. Often thinks that they are guilty, or ashamed, becoming a burden on family and society.
Sudden mood swings, extreme emotions or anger, frustration, stress, anxiety, guilt . Always mentioning death, wanting to give up everything, seeing death as the only way out. Say goodbye or write a suicide note.
Organize work, prepare luggage and personal vehicles such as a long trip, arrange finances, give away valuable assets, write a will and say goodbye to loved ones.
Isolating myself, cutting off relationships with family and friends. Disinterest in previous hobbies, fall into a carefree and careless lifestyle, do not listen to advice, have abnormal behaviors such as: using drugs, not eating, not sleeping, not interested in care take care of yourself.
Prepare means to commit suicide such as buying poison to hide in the house, neck ropes, scissors, knives, gasoline, frequent visits to bridges, rivers, lakes or high-rise buildings ...

4. Interventions when seeing people commit suicide

Relieve psychological stress for the patient
Talk honestly and openly with the patient. Find out, share, and deal with frustrations, difficulties, and frustrations Help patients solve current stalemates, overcome disappointments, suggest a way out of problems and take more positive action. . Let the patient feel protected, protected, always have good people by their side to support them in life so that they no longer feel lonely. Help the patient reintegrate into society by taking them out to relax, participate in fun activities, enjoy the scenery to keep their mind clear and think more open. Avoid psychological trauma, stress for the patient. Closely monitor all behaviors and gestures of the patient, do not leave the patient alone. Avoid contact with sharp objects, hanging ropes, drugs, gasoline and stay away from high-rise buildings, bridges, rivers, lakes. . If suicide is caused by psychological stress, psychotherapy with cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy.
If you commit suicide due to mental illness, it is necessary to combine drug treatment with psychotherapy, electroencephalographic shock,... Treatment of chronic diseases, if any, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer,...

5. The place to rescue people who commit suicide

Timely detection and emergency intervention of suicidal people is of particular importance in reducing mortality. Treatment measures are different depending on the specific situation, but in general, it is necessary to understand the following principles:
First of all, it is necessary to quickly remove the patient from the danger area: put the patient on land, cut off the patient. hanging ropes, extinguishing fires, cutting off the power supply,... Next is to check the patient's circulation and breathing. If cardiac arrest occurs, CPR should be performed immediately. At the same time, emergency personnel should call 911 to receive instructions and quickly transfer the patient to the nearest medical facility. Bandage to stop bleeding, induce vomiting and treat injuries (if any); Transport the patient to the hospital for timely emergency. After the crisis is over, it is necessary to exploit and treat the cause. Psychology Clinic - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital has the function of examining, consulting and outpatient treatment of psychological and mental health problems. With modern equipment and a team of highly specialized doctors, the Psychology clinic - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital is capable of deploying psychological tests and intensive psychotherapy to serve the public. medical examination and treatment. With enthusiasm and love for the profession, the team of doctors working at the clinic gives customers the best services with the highest service quality.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.