Suicide and Self Harm

Question 1

factors shown to be associated with an increased risk of suicide

Answer 1

• male sex (hazard ratio (HR) approximately 2.0)
• history of deliberate self-harm (HR 1.7)
• alcohol or drug misuse (HR 1.6)
• history of mental illness
• depression
• schizophrenia: NICE estimates that 10% of people with schizophrenia will complete suicide
• history of chronic disease
• advancing age
• unemployment or social isolation/living alone
• being unmarried, divorced or widowed

Question 2

If a patient has actually attempted suicide, there are a number of factors associated with an increased risk of completed suicide at a future date:

Answer 2

efforts to avoid discovery
planning
leaving a written note
final acts such as sorting out finances
violent method

Question 3

Protective factors which reduce the risk of a patient committing suicide

Answer 3

family support
having children at home
religious belief
pets

Question 4

Red flags for suicide

Answer 4

• well formed plans/preparations
• hopelessness
• psychotic phenomena
• sense of entrapment
• pain/chronic mental illness
• perception of lack of support
• access to lethal means