There are many reasons why people attempt to commit suicide. The trigger can be anything from depression to drug and substance abuse. Some people decide to attempt suicide because of a mental or physical disorder or both. Regardless of the reason, a failed suicide attempt is likely to be a success when not addressed properly. It is never easy to talk to a person who has voiced his or her desire to attempt suicide. The wrong approach may end up encouraging the person by pushing them towards the action. It is important that professional help is sought especially when it comes to individuals who have attempted suicide and failed. Contrary to popular opinion that subsequent attempts will fail or are less likely to occur after a first failed attempt, the opposite is actually true. Most people are likely to be successful in the next suicide attempt after a failed one. Research proves that second suicide attempts are usually a guarantee.
However, this can be turned around with the right medical help. It is advisable to seek the services and help of a trained psychiatrist who will help (Eggert &Nicolas, 1995). In every suicide attempt case, there is a possibility for success and failure. The failed attempts are a major concern for psychologists as they realize the need to address the issues that first triggered the failed attempt. For this reason, there is need for therapy which when handled appropriately can lead to turning around of the situation. A patient may be treated properly both mentally and physically and prevent any subsequent suicide attempts.
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The first realization or step towards assisting these individuals is to understand that they form part of the high-risk population regardless of their age. There is a need to ensure that they access the right kind of help. According to mental health experts, such individuals need to be watched. Appropriate psychological treatment, which includes support and not necessarily medication, is recommended. It is obvious that a failed suicide attempt can affect the victim psyche not to mention an already tired body. It is possible for such individuals to fall into deeper depressive states, which increases the possibility of subsequent suicide attempts by thirty percent. In fact, a recent study reveals that people who have attempted suicide and failed are going to rank high when a diagnosis for depression, sensation seeking, interpersonal dependency and an inability to express emotions is looked at. In an attempt to assist such individuals who may be struggling with the after math of a failed attempt, psychologists recommend therapy. This is from a research and study that was conducted for a time span of over twenty years. The findings from these studies on subjects with a similar challenge were observed based on those who attended therapy and those who were unwilling to. The progress of recovery was tremendous in individuals that attended therapy. Talk therapy was an effective measure that reduced repeated suicide attempts by 38 percent in the first year after the failed attempt. Five years on the risks reduced to 26 percent. By the time it was ten years down the line only 2.3 percent of the patients in therapy attempted a second suicide. By the end of the twenty years study, only eight out of over 17,000 victims committed suicide. This shows the effectiveness of talk therapy for patients whose first suicide attempt failed (Sande & Engeland, 1997).
Although experts may not know for sure what could be helping patients recover after such failed attempts, talk therapy seems to be an effective. Although nay person can attempt suicide, the risk seems to be found mostly in people aged between 25 and 44 years and those above 85 years. A patient centered approach is the most effective way to deal with this problem of repeated suicideattempts. The patient centered approach provides better platforms for patients to interact with their therapists on a personal level and sometimes even through letters and reminders that help them stay updated with useful coping mechanism. The therapists in this approach develop approaches to match the need of every patient depending on what they need at the time. Overcoming a failed suicide attempt is not easy for since the urge to complete what was left undone is high. In addition, family members and close relatives need to be educated on the best measures of minimizing the occurrence of suicidal attempts. It is easy for a family member or close friend to notice when a person wants to commit suicide because they will start by talking in a specific way as if to preempt the action.
One should not take such talks lightly or attempt to talk the victim out of the attempt. Instead, it is important to inform a professional psychologist who in turn ensures that the person is taken through proper talk therapy. Families can also assist by keeping away any items that may facilitate suicide attempts. In most cases, people attempting suicide have second thoughts (Cotgrove & Weston, 1995). However, in case there is a tool that can facilitate the attempt faster for example a gun, the chance to reconsider is eliminated. Families and friends need to play a crucial role in ensuring that their loved ones have a hard time succeeding in subsequent attempts. This coupled with proper physical treatment and appropriate mental treatment through talk therapy ensures that the victim turns around. With the right assistance and support from both professionals and family, victims of attempted suicide are better equipped to handle their situations. In the end, the desire to want to kill themselves diminishes and in most cases that are handled properly even disappears for good.
References
Cotgrove, A., Zirinsky, L., Black, D., & Weston, D. (1995). Secondary prevention of attempted suicide in adolescence. Journal of Adolescence , 18 (5), 569-577.
Eggert, L. L., Thompson, E. A., Herting, J. R., & Nicholas, L. J. (1995). Reducing Suicide Potential among High ‐ Risk Youth: Tests of a School ‐ Based Prevention Program. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior , 25 (2), 276-296.
Sande, R. V. D., Buskens, E., Allart, E., Graaf, Y. V. D., & Van Engeland, H. (1997). Psychosocial intervention following suicide attempt: a svstematic review of treatment interventions. Acta psychiatrica scandinavica , 96 (1), 43-50.
