Chatting With Suicide Prevention Expert: "We Can Lessen So Many Tragedies!"
- by Vera K
- ⏱️ Approx 5 Min Read
Specialist on Suicide Advocates: "We Can Avert Numerous Suicides!" - Expert advocates for enhanced suicide prevention strategies: "Many lives could be saved!"
How do you manage the emotional weight of your work?
- Suicide Prevention
- Mental Health Professionals
- Suicide
Dealing with such a heavy topic on a daily basis takes a toll - here's how I, as a suicide prevention expert, maintain my mental health:
- Planned Coping and Emotional Regulation
Coping planning is a practical method that encourages mental health professionals to use their strengths and various coping strategies, from self-soothing to professional support. This approach fosters distress management, creates a sense of belonging, and aids in emotional regulation skills development - vital for long-term mental health work [5].
- Leveraging Accurate Screening Tools
Mastering reliable suicide risk assessment tools like the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) empowers us to spot those at risk early, giving us a sense of control and minimizing the uncertainty associated with crisis situations [4]. Regular training boosts our competence and lowers the stress connected with tension-filled moments.
- Tapping into Non-Drug Interventions and Collaborative Care
Employing therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) helps not just our patients but also strengthens our confidence in preventing suicides. Collaborative models integrating psychiatry, therapy, and primary care improve outcomes and share the load, warding off burnout [4].
- Building Strong Support Networks
As with the general population grappling with suicidal thoughts, mental health professionals profit from constructing strong social support networks, encompassing peer support, supervision, and professional consultation. These networks serve as an emotional refuge and offer chances to share the emotional burden [2].
- Practicing Stress Management Techniques and Self-Care
Adopting stress reduction practices like deep breathing, meditation, yoga, regular exercise, and maintaining a healthy diet helps us remain resilient, reducing anxiety and preserving our caregiving capacity [2].
- Setting Boundaries and Prioritizing Safety
Mental health professionals should take measures to manage the emotional stress arising from their work, including setting professional boundaries, taking breaks, and seeking help promptly. This is crucial to avoid compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress, common risks in suicide prevention work [5].
- Continuous Professional Development and Resource Access
Staying updated through training webinars, workshops, and current clinical resources on suicide prevention tools and pharmacologic/non-pharmacologic strategies enhances our readiness and confidence, acting as a buffer against stress and burnout [4].
All these strategies, when combined, reinforce our resilience, emotional regulation, and long-term capacity to provide care in this demanding field, enabling us to help as many people as possible.
In adherence to the community policy and mental-health guidelines, mental health professionals utilize stress management techniques and self-care as part of their health-and-wellness routine, further enhancing their ability to effectively implement employment policy that prioritizes suicide prevention. Additionally, by leveraging science-based approaches like cognitive-behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy, these professionals uphold the employment policy and contribute significantly to the health-and-wellness of the community, especially in terms of mental health.
