What is the Systems Approach to Suicide Prevention?
Statistics released in March this year show the suicide rate in 2014 at its highest level since 2003. Here’s what the National Mental Health Commission said about it: http://www.mentalhealthcommission.gov.au/media-centre/news/suicide-in-australia-%E2%80%93-2014-causes-of-death-data-%28abs%29.aspx
Black Dog Institute is an NHMRC Centre of Excellence in Research in Suicide Prevention. The Institute is researching a new, evidence-based approach to suicide prevention that has proven success elsewhere in the world.
The “systems approach” includes 9 evidence based strategies. (You can read more about the specific strategies in the summary paper available here http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/docs/BDI_systemsapproachsummarypaper.pdf).
It integrates suicide prevention into the whole community - educating and training a broad sweep of community members as well as focussing on those in “gatekeeper” roles, promoting co-ordinated and assertive aftercare after a suicide attempt and ensuring that those at risk receive the care and support they need. Suicide prevention is seen as a task for the whole community not just the medical or mental health care sector. The strategies involved range from ensuring that suicide is reported responsibly in the media (http://www.mindframe-media.info/home/about-mindframe ) to school based education programs, means restriction and advanced GP training. Success will require co-operation and communication across the community.
Currently the systems approach is being implemented in four “suicide hotspots” in NSW. These sites were chosen on the basis of their large populations, high mortality rates and an existing infrastructure that could support the systems approach.
It is estimated that this solution will reduce the Australian suicide rate by at least 20% in just a few years.
Black Dog Institute’s professional education team are offering a new accredited 6 hour workshop in suicide prevention this year to do their bit to support the systems approach. Information about the workshop schedule can be found here http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/healthprofessionals/gps/coursedatesregistration.cfm. New workshops are being added to the schedule all the time so keep an eye out for one in your area.
If you are worried about your own mental health or that of your loved ones please call Lifeline on 131114 or the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300659467 or at https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/
Gerhard is a full professor of Clinical Psychology at Linköping University, Sweden since 2003, an
d affiliated researcher at the Karolinska Institute, Sweden. Professor Andersson is an internationally recognized researcher in the field of CBT delivered through information and communication technology, as well as the author of the book “The Internet and CBT: a clinical guide”.
UPDATED
The PTSD Program for people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Do you know anyone who has difficulty motivating themselves to exercise? I think we all know people who get too depressed to exercise or too anxious to leave the house. But there are other people who, despite a lack of “diagnosis”, find exercise hugely difficult to contemplate.
As someone who has practiced medicine for almost four decades I have had the opportunity to observe firsthand the upsurge in the use of opioid pain killers in non-cancer pain.