The Journal of the Arkansas Medical Society, Vol 115, No. 9 Med Journal March 2019 Final 2 | Page 12

EDITORIAL PANEL: Chad T. Rodgers, MD, FAAP | Elena M. Davis, MD, MPH | William L. Mason, MD | Michael Moody, MD | J. Gary Wheeler, MD, MPS
Suicide is Preventable
LADEANA BELL, MS, LPE-I and MOLLY M. GATHRIGHT, MD
H
alf of all Americans will
experience a mental health
crisis during their lifetime.
Most crises go unrecognized
and untreated. 1 For an increasing
number of people, their mental
health crisis includes a suicide
attempt or suicide death.
While the awareness of suicide
as a public health concern has
increased, the suicide rate has also
increased, according to the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention. 2
Arkansas ranks 14th in the nation
in suicide deaths with 555 lives
lost to suicide in 2016, more than
double the number of homicides. 3
Suicide is the second-leading cause
of death for ages 15–34; the fourth-
leading cause for ages 35–44, and
the seventh-leading cause for ages
45–55. On average, one Arkansan
dies by suicide every 16 hours.
Mental health is a key part
of overall health and health
maintenance visits should include
mental health screening. Providers
should check for mental health
changes in all patients, even those
with no diagnosed mental illness.
One study found that suicide
victims are often likely to have
visited their primary care physician
(PCP) in the one month prior to
their death. 4 Because people have
long-standing relationships with
Suicide Symptoms
If a person talks about:
• Killing themselves
• Feeling hopeless
• Having no reason to live
• Being a burden to others
• Feeling trapped
• Unbearable pain
These behaviors can signal risk, especially if related to a painful
event, loss or change:
• Increased use of alcohol or drugs
• Looking for suicide methods;
searching online
• Withdrawing from activities
• Isolating from family and friends
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Visiting or calling people to
say goodbye
• Giving away prized possessions
• Aggression
• Fatigue
Changes in mood to:
•
•
•
•
Depression
Anxiety
Loss of interest
Irritability
• Humiliation or shame
• Agitation or anger
• Relief or sudden improvement
in mood
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
www.sprc.org/settings/primary-care/toolkit • www.samsha.gov/suicide-prevention
their PCP, PCPs are in an integral
position to prevent suicides. Some
individuals may need to be seen by
a specialist or need more intensive
mental health intervention. However,
the reality is that primary care may
be the only setting in which many
patients receive health care and it
should include behavioral health
204 • THE JOURNAL OF THE ARKANSAS MEDICAL SOCIETY
care. For a person at risk of suicide,
a visit to the PCP may be their one
chance to access care.
Physicians, especially in rural areas
and underserved areas with limited
access to mental health profession-
als, must become more comfortable
with being that one point of contact.
This may seem daunting and is a
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