Question

Write a reflection on the difficult topic of suicide and what you learned about it from your reading for this lesson. Explain the moral, ethical, legal, and personal issues surrounding suicide.

Answer 1

One of the difficult topic of suicide for me is assessment .

#. Assessment

*Verbal and Nonverbal Cues; Overt statements and Covert statement.

*Lethality of suicide plan.

*Assessment tools; SAD PERSON scale.

*Self-Assessment.

#. Overt Statements

" I cant take it anymore."

" Life isn't worth living anymore."

" I wish I were dead."

" Everyone would be better off if I died."

#. Covert Statements

" It's okay now. Soon everything will be fine."

" Things will never work out."

" I won't be a problem much longer."

" Nothing feels good to me anymore and probably never will."

" How can I give my body to medical science?"

#. Specific questions to ask about suicidal ideation

* Have you ever felt that life was not worth living?

* Have you been thinking about death recently?

* Did you ever think about suicide?

* Have you ever attempted suicide?

* Do you have a plan for completing suicide?

* If so, what is your plan for suicide?

#. Nonverbal behavioral clues

* Showing a sudden brightening of mood from sad and depressed to happy and peaceful.

* Giving away possessions.

* Organizing financial affairs.

#. SAD PERSONS scale

Is a simple and practical guide for triaging patients who are potentially suicidal. Assesses 10 major risk factors and assigns score for each one.

SAD PERSONS scale :-

* S Sex 1 if male.

* A Age 1 if 25 to 44 years or 65 + years.

* D Depression 1 if present.

* P Previous attempt 1 if present.

* E Ethanol use 1 if present.

* R Rational thinking loss 1 if psychotic for any reason.

* S Social supports lacking 1 if lacking, especially recent loss.

* O Organized plan 1 if plan with lethal method.

* N No spouse 1 if divorced, widowed, separated, single male.

* S Sickness 1 if severe or chronic.

#. SAD PERSONS scale/ Guidelines for action

0-2 Send home with follow-up.

3-4 Closely follow up; consider hospitalization.

5-6 Strongly consider hospitalization.

7-10 Hospitalize or commit.

#. Suicide is immoral and unnatural because :-

- it's contrary to the natural law and charity

- it injures the community

- it destroys the god's gift of life

#. Ethical and legal issues :-

- it's against the ethical principles

- it's against the legal laws and regulations but every one has his or her own human rights.