What do doctors do when a patient has suicidal thoughts?

Suicidal ideation is more common than completed suicide. Most persons who commit suicide have a psychiatric disorder at the time of death. read more

If your patient acknowledges suicidal thoughts, the next steps would be to determine the nature and persistence of the thoughts, the degree of intent, the existence of and the extent of detail of a plan, access to lethal methods, and history of previous attempts. read more

People often feel they want to end their lives when they can no longer bear the pain and difficulty they are in. Most often this is because they are not in their normal frame of mind. This could be because of: Having depression and seeing everything at its worst, or not having the energy or motivation to carry on. read more

The treatment for suicidal thoughts might range from gentle reassurance to hospital admission. In some cases, the person is sent home with instructions to return if the thoughts become persistent, symptoms of depression become evident, or the person otherwise has difficulty coping with their feelings or with situations in a healthy manner. read more