Identifying and Managing Suicidality in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Adult patients affected by myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) are at an increased risk of death by suicide. Based on the scientific literature and our clinical/research experiences, we identify risk and protective factors and provide a guide to assessing and managing suicida...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Healthcare |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/6/629 |
| _version_ | 1797532710697172992 |
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| author | Lily Chu Meghan Elliott Eleanor Stein Leonard A. Jason |
| author_facet | Lily Chu Meghan Elliott Eleanor Stein Leonard A. Jason |
| author_sort | Lily Chu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Adult patients affected by myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) are at an increased risk of death by suicide. Based on the scientific literature and our clinical/research experiences, we identify risk and protective factors and provide a guide to assessing and managing suicidality in an outpatient medical setting. A clinical case is used to illustrate how information from this article can be applied. Characteristics of ME/CFS that make addressing suicidality challenging include absence of any disease-modifying treatments, severe functional limitations, and symptoms which limit therapies. Decades-long misattribution of ME/CFS to physical deconditioning or psychiatric disorders have resulted in undereducated healthcare professionals, public stigma, and unsupportive social interactions. Consequently, some patients may be reluctant to engage with mental health care. Outpatient medical professionals play a vital role in mitigating these effects. By combining evidence-based interventions aimed at all suicidal patients with those adapted to individual patients’ circumstances, suffering and suicidality can be alleviated in ME/CFS. Increased access to newer virtual or asynchronous modalities of psychiatric/psychological care, especially for severely ill patients, may be a silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:04:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2c594e8bff5d49e1818a2a3b253e7a6e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9032 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:04:10Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-2c594e8bff5d49e1818a2a3b253e7a6e2023-11-21T21:15:28ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322021-05-019662910.3390/healthcare9060629Identifying and Managing Suicidality in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue SyndromeLily Chu0Meghan Elliott1Eleanor Stein2Leonard A. Jason3Independent Consultant, Burlingame, CA 94010, USACenter for Community Research, DePaul University, Chicago, IL 60614, USADepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2T 4L8, CanadaCenter for Community Research, DePaul University, Chicago, IL 60614, USAAdult patients affected by myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) are at an increased risk of death by suicide. Based on the scientific literature and our clinical/research experiences, we identify risk and protective factors and provide a guide to assessing and managing suicidality in an outpatient medical setting. A clinical case is used to illustrate how information from this article can be applied. Characteristics of ME/CFS that make addressing suicidality challenging include absence of any disease-modifying treatments, severe functional limitations, and symptoms which limit therapies. Decades-long misattribution of ME/CFS to physical deconditioning or psychiatric disorders have resulted in undereducated healthcare professionals, public stigma, and unsupportive social interactions. Consequently, some patients may be reluctant to engage with mental health care. Outpatient medical professionals play a vital role in mitigating these effects. By combining evidence-based interventions aimed at all suicidal patients with those adapted to individual patients’ circumstances, suffering and suicidality can be alleviated in ME/CFS. Increased access to newer virtual or asynchronous modalities of psychiatric/psychological care, especially for severely ill patients, may be a silver lining of the COVID-19 pandemic.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/6/629severely illsuicide screeningsuicide assessmentsuicide managementchronic illnessprimary care |
| spellingShingle | Lily Chu Meghan Elliott Eleanor Stein Leonard A. Jason Identifying and Managing Suicidality in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Healthcare severely ill suicide screening suicide assessment suicide management chronic illness primary care |
| title | Identifying and Managing Suicidality in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome |
| title_full | Identifying and Managing Suicidality in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome |
| title_fullStr | Identifying and Managing Suicidality in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome |
| title_full_unstemmed | Identifying and Managing Suicidality in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome |
| title_short | Identifying and Managing Suicidality in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome |
| title_sort | identifying and managing suicidality in myalgic encephalomyelitis chronic fatigue syndrome |
| topic | severely ill suicide screening suicide assessment suicide management chronic illness primary care |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/6/629 |
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