In Episode 31: The Workplace & Suicide we discussed how many offices have programs and benefits that may help a colleague in crisis. One option for an employee may be to utilize EAPs (Employee Assistance Programs) in the workplace. In this blog we want to delve into how EAPs function, the professionals that are employed by them, and some of the things that you need to know when using one of these programs. What is …
In Episode 29: Mental Illness & Suicide we touched on the difficulties in diagnosing mental illness. Mental illness is usually diagnosed by the symptoms. There is a lot of overlap between diagnostic groups and symptoms. A particular symptom may be characteristic of numerous diagnoses. For example, depressive symptoms such as sadness and lethargy, are associated with the diagnosis of major depression. However, persons with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, substance abuse, borderline personality, and even physical ailments like heart …
In Episode 28: Veterans & Suicide our guest, Brent Arnspiger, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Suicide Prevention Coordinator for the VA in Houston, spoke about preventing Veteran suicides by using a screener. The Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale Screener (C-SSRS) is a proven way to recognize suicide risk. This screener can be life-saving and has been adopted by various groups. What is the Columbia Screener? The C-SSRS is a series of questions that can be …
If you listened to Episode 27: “Is Suicide Contagious?“ you know that media coverage of suicides increases the risk of others making suicide attempts. In today’s internet environment, though, the relationship between social media and suicide may be even more important to consider. Sharing Suicidal Content We know that social media and suicide contagion are connected. Persons who are contemplating suicide are apt to post their thoughts on social media. Think of it as the …
In Episode 26: Myth BUSTED: They’re Not “Really” Suicidal, we discuss how dangerous it is to be skeptical when someone mentions they’ve been suicidal. If you are wrong, the consequences can be deadly. It is true, though, people are more likely to give hints at thoughts of suicide rather than to directly threaten it. When people make comments about suicide, they are often not taken seriously. This is in spite of the fact that: Suicide is the …
