Is it time to abandon suicide risk assessment?

Suicide risk assessment includes estimating the likelihood of suicide in words such as ‘low, medium or high’. A ‘high suicide risk’ rating can trigger a powerful urge to eliminate risk immediately. But it is far from clear what...

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Main Author: Declan Murray
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2016-01-01
Series:BJPsych Open
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472400001228/type/journal_article
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author Declan Murray
author_facet Declan Murray
author_sort Declan Murray
collection DOAJ
description Suicide risk assessment includes estimating the likelihood of suicide in words such as ‘low, medium or high’. A ‘high suicide risk’ rating can trigger a powerful urge to eliminate risk immediately. But it is far from clear what ‘high suicide risk’ actually means. In the current state of knowledge, suicide reduction measures should apply to all psychiatric patients, irrespective of an individual patient's perceived risk. For patients presenting with suicidal thoughts, feelings and behaviour, assessment and management should focus on reducing or tolerating emotional pain.
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spelling doaj.art-29c252d4df23480396504fe232f11b102023-03-09T12:28:36ZengCambridge University PressBJPsych Open2056-47242016-01-012e1e210.1192/bjpo.bp.115.002071Is it time to abandon suicide risk assessment?Declan Murray0Swords Health Centre, Bridge Street, Swords, Co. Dublin K67 X765, Ireland. Email:Suicide risk assessment includes estimating the likelihood of suicide in words such as ‘low, medium or high’. A ‘high suicide risk’ rating can trigger a powerful urge to eliminate risk immediately. But it is far from clear what ‘high suicide risk’ actually means. In the current state of knowledge, suicide reduction measures should apply to all psychiatric patients, irrespective of an individual patient's perceived risk. For patients presenting with suicidal thoughts, feelings and behaviour, assessment and management should focus on reducing or tolerating emotional pain.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472400001228/type/journal_article
spellingShingle Declan Murray
Is it time to abandon suicide risk assessment?
BJPsych Open
title Is it time to abandon suicide risk assessment?
title_full Is it time to abandon suicide risk assessment?
title_fullStr Is it time to abandon suicide risk assessment?
title_full_unstemmed Is it time to abandon suicide risk assessment?
title_short Is it time to abandon suicide risk assessment?
title_sort is it time to abandon suicide risk assessment
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472400001228/type/journal_article
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