Suicidal Ideation And Risk Assessment
Article Sections
Introduction
Suicidal ideation refers to the thought about killing oneself. A suicide risk assessment is the standard of care to evaluate suicidal ideation and identify appropriate interventions to decrease the risk of a suicide attempt or suicide. When these thoughts involve a significant degree of intent to end one's life, there may be an imminent risk for death or injury, and it is considered an emergency.
Epidemiology
Suicidal ideation is common: The estimated lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation is about 10%. The majority of individuals with suicidal ideation do not receive mental health services.
The probability of a suicide attempt (nonfatal self-injurious behavior with the intent to kill oneself) is higher when an individual has experienced suicidal ideation: The lifetime prevalence of a suicide attempt is approximately 3%. The most common methods of suicide include that via firearms, hanging/suffocation, and poisoning/drug overdose.
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