I learnt a good proverb says,’’ TOO OLD TO LEARN.’’ So, in order to live health and happy in the life, we should struggle more and more to learn about the mental health well. Surely, we can protect ourselves, family, kids, relatives, friends and communities.

Let’s discuss the types of suicide and treatment in simple information.

What are the types of suicide?

There are three distinct forms of suicide.

  1. Unassisted suicide:

There are two types.

The first applies when a victim commits suicide when they are not currently or recently in the care of a counsellor/mental health professional.

The second applies where the victim is currently under the care of a professional, but not for suicidality. The clinician may not suspect the risk. The victim will not have confided their plan or threaten or acknowledge such behaviour queried.

2- Facilitated suicide:

This applies when the victim is currently or recently under the care of a professional and the clinical knew there was a risk and the means of prevention or intervention were available. A suicide in this context suggests a breach of duty. This could include ignoring the risk or not providing the resources that could have reduced the risk. This suggests that the suicide has been facilitated. This does not mean that the professional has caused the suicide, just ethically failed to do anything or acted passively.

3- Assisted suicide:

This is when the professional knows the client’s wishes and to enables the person to commit suicide by providing lethal means or guidance as to how to use the lethal means. This assumes the person has done this rationally. However, many victims of assisted suicide appear to be driven by extreme stress and/or great pain which can impair rationality. Enabling suicides is unethical and illegal in many countries.

What is the treatment plan?

The professional and the client will devise a safekeeping contract that is signed by both of them. This confirms that the individual agrees not to commit suicide, will complete various actions and will contact family/friends/emergency personnel/the counsellor if they have thoughts of suicide again.

The contract may include coping strategies to enable the client to reduce their distress. If the individual feels they are no able to do this, they may think that medical treatment is required, or voluntary/involuntary psychiatric hospitalisation may be required. Educating family and friends is also an important part of suicide intervention. Family therapy, individual therapy, substance abuse treatment or psychiatric medication may be recommended. This will depend on the other problems that the person is experiencing.