Suicide an hour after discharge for Mental health issues?

[Silverstarqueen]

http://www.cknw.com/2016/05/05/angry-mo ... f-her-son/

I find this story very disturbing and tragic. I don't think this mother was listened to, nor her son given adequate care.
This is apparently not the only case being investigated in the province, but will there be any change in policy or will more lives be lost. Where are the follow up supports when a person at very high risk for suicide is turned out to fend for themselves?
If I hear one more person in position of authority put out platitudes or politispeak about this..., I could not be more disgusted.

[GordonH]

Very sad story, my condolences to Family & Friends
Maybe its time as many hospitals have cardiologist also have psychiatrist as well.

[mysideofthings]

things like this happen a lot, not necessarily a family member not being notified, but people who are still a risk to themselves not having access to proper help...though in this case, i don't know if he was able to get himself released because they thought he was okay enough to be.

a few days in a psych ward doesn't help long term though. neither does a once a week or once a month or so appointment with a psychiatrist or therapist or medicating a person. there needs to be more appropriate programs, not just psych wards as they aren't equipped for more than a quick stabilization with meds then discharge people to community resources which still are very lacking.

i heard of a case where a person was in the ER on suicide watch, and he wasn't being watched as closely as he was supposed to be as he had been seen on the security camera walking the halls and getting an electrical cord then going into the bathroom and ending his life.

i have also heard of people locally being sent home from the ER while they are suicidal (and personally experienced it myself years ago), and one person ended their life as a result.

there are too many cases where there aren't enough doctors/nurses, not enough educated doctors/nurses to handle situations appropriately, not enough programs, and people dropping the ball at every level, community resources, in the ER, on the psych ward, etc.

it also would help if there were more crisis intervention/prevention programs which still haven't been implemented in our area that isn't just a crisis line or isn't just talking to someone at mental health. another place to go than the ER like a crisis house would be helpful.

on the other side of it, i do realize if a person wants to end their life they will, but there are still situations where more could have been done to help prevent it.

there just needs to be a complete overhaul of the mental health system.

[Lady tehMa]

What is causing the increase in mental health problems? Can we some way prevent instead of diagnosing and treating?

[mysideofthings]

What is causing the increase in mental health problems? Can we some way prevent instead of diagnosing and treating?

i'm not sure it's an 'increase' as with large populations of people, there will be many with mental health issues.

it is about having adequate programs and support which the system can't seem to figure out or get enough money to fund to begin with. with varying mental health issues, they each require different ways of treating and even more individualized treatment for each person's needs.

but considering they can't even find a 'good enough' treatment for things, i'm pretty sure they also can't magically come up with a way to prevent it either. if prevention was possible, i would have been in line years ago lol

[whatwhat]

What is causing the increase in mental health problems? Can we some way prevent instead of diagnosing and treating?

I agree with mysideofthings, as I don't think there has been an increase in mental health illnesses, (1 in 5 people will experience a mental illness in their lifetime) but a growth in education and a reduction of stigma. This can encourage people who are suffering silently with mental health issues reach out for help.

Which is a great thing! But we need to be able to adequately help them, and provide proper services for what they need.

Unfortunately, there isn't much we can do to prevent a mental illness. I will say that some mental illnesses can be situational, such as depression, but most are a problem/chemical imbalance inside the brain (such as personally disorders, schizophrenia, bi-polar etc) and will never go away. There is no way to prevent life long mental illness. But with a combination of medications, and behavioural therapy people living with a mental illness can live great, productive lives. It's just getting them the help they need first.

[gardengirl]

What is causing the increase in mental health problems? Can we some way prevent instead of diagnosing and treating?

I think some of these issues could be prevented for some people. Certainly there are those who have chemical imbalances and medical issues which are the cause. However, I also believe that there is a whole generation of people who have no coping skills. They have been protected and coddled their entire lives and have never had to deal with any type of consequences. Once they are out in the "big bad world" they don't know how to deal with it.

[Silverstarqueen]

I think some of these issues could be prevented for some people. Certainly there are those who have chemical imbalances and medical issues which are the cause. However, I also believe that there is a whole generation of people who have no coping skills. They have been protected and coddled their entire lives and have never had to deal with any type of consequences. Once they are out in the "big bad world" they don't know how to deal with it.

Mental illness is a physical condition, which can result in death, it is not a result of the type of upbringing a person had. Our current system seems to treat it as a short term "emergent" or "urgent" condition, and then sends the patient on their way with no solution, when it is more like a chronic disease, or at least long term, until the right medication or counselling supports are in place and the person is able to manage the disease on their own. If we took diabetics, treated them in the ER, and then discharged them without the necessary information to manage their condition, medications, dietary requirements, we wouldn't blame their death on having been too "protected or coddled their entire lives" now would we?

[gardengirl]

I think some of these issues could be prevented for some people. Certainly there are those who have chemical imbalances and medical issues which are the cause. However, I also believe that there is a whole generation of people who have no coping skills. They have been protected and coddled their entire lives and have never had to deal with any type of consequences. Once they are out in the "big bad world" they don't know how to deal with it.

[quote="Silverstarqueen" ]
Mental illness is a physical condition, which can result in death, it is not a result of the type of upbringing a person had. Our current system seems to treat it as a short term "emergent" or "urgent" condition, and then sends the patient on their way with no solution, when it is more like a chronic disease, or at least long term, until the right medication or counselling supports are in place and the person is able to manage the disease on their own. If we took diabetics, treated them in the ER, and then discharged them without the necessary information to manage their condition, medications, dietary requirements, we wouldn't blame their death on having been too "protected or coddled their entire lives" now would we?[/quote]

I am not trying to minimize the issue. I mean to address the comments about how many people are currently being diagnosed with mental illness. I believe we have a whole generation of people who develop emotional issues (which can manifest or at least be diagnosed as a mental illness) as a direct result of not learning coping skills.

You mentioned counseling as a treatment or support. Coping skills are something which would be addressed in counseling. My point is that if some people learned these skills early on, they may not end up requiring treatment later on in life.

[Silverstarqueen]

I think some of these issues could be prevented for some people. Certainly there are those who have chemical imbalances and medical issues which are the cause. However, I also believe that there is a whole generation of people who have no coping skills. They have been protected and coddled their entire lives and have never had to deal with any type of consequences. Once they are out in the "big bad world" they don't know how to deal with it.

I am not trying to minimize the issue. I mean to address the comments about how many people are currently being diagnosed with mental illness. I believe we have a whole generation of people who develop emotional issues (which can manifest or at least be diagnosed as a mental illness) as a direct result of not learning coping skills.

You mentioned counseling as a treatment or support. Coping skills are something which would be addressed in counseling. My point is that if some people learned these skills early on, they may not end up requiring treatment later on in life.

I think you are confusing emotions such as sadnness with suicidal Mental illness. People don't kill themselves because they are feeling a little off or having a bad hair day. Major depression serious enough to lead to suicide is a potentially lethal condition, which you don't just talk someone out of. There are physical aspects to the condition. Just because counselling is part of the treatment, does not mean you skip the medical treatment required. We don't "talk" diabetics out of their condition, but counselling could be part of the support given to them, while treating their condition. Not as a replacement for medical treatment.

[gardengirl]

What is causing the increase in mental health problems? Can we some way prevent instead of diagnosing and treating?

SIGH.

This is the quote I was responding to. There is no mention specifically of any particular problem. Ie: It makes no mention of suicide.

[Silverstarqueen]

In an effort to keep the focus on Mental health and Suicide, which is the topic of this thread, it seems obvious to interpret comments in relation to Suicide and Mental health/illness/treatment. Silly me, not realizing we were talking about counselling people to somehow snap out of their mental illness and just get over whatever their parents were lacking in parenting skills, and just learn to "cope" with Suicidal urges.

The young man (and about 3500 Canadians per year) died in spite of a very concerned and supportive family member, in spite of our supposedly world class health care system, which simply tossed him to the curb. To add insult to injury we (and his grieving mother) had to listen to platitudes from some representative on TV who glossed over the whole incident. And we have people trying to discuss how folks just haven't learned to "cope" with a sometimes lethal illness. We have young people dying before their time, and our health care system seems to have little to nothing to say about it.

We know for a fact that people are being discharged in extremely fragile mental condition, with virtually no effective follow up plan ( I know I have seen if for myself). Would we tolerate this for heart patients, diabetics, people with debilitating dementia, a broken leg, or any other serious life threatening condition? Would we then blame that death on their upbringing or inability to cope? It is well known in the Mental Health Business that the risk of death for people suffering from Suicidal mental illness is highest is the early days of being brought to a treatment center. Why would we then discharge them without support,or just with a pep talk, when family members are telling us this person is at serious risk of dying?

[Silverstarqueen]

Maybe we need to start by educating the public to the scope of the problem. If several airliners per year in Canada were dropping out of the sky, there would be media coverage, public outrage, investigations, and regulations in place to at least reduce the carnage. We have thousands of police officers on our highways attempting to prevent death and injury from vehicular misconduct. What do we have to attempt to prevent death from suicide?

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/story ... b40c7ccf9b

[Lady tehMa]

In an effort to keep the focus on Mental health and Suicide, which is the topic of this thread, it seems obvious to interpret comments in relation to Suicide and Mental health/illness/treatment. Silly me, not realizing we were talking about counselling people to somehow snap out of their mental illness and just get over whatever their parents were lacking in parenting skills, and just learn to "cope" with Suicidal urges.

The young man (and about 3500 Canadians per year) died in spite of a very concerned and supportive family member, in spite of our supposedly world class health care system, which simply tossed him to the curb. To add insult to injury we (and his grieving mother) had to listen to platitudes from some representative on TV who glossed over the whole incident. And we have people trying to discuss how folks just haven't learned to "cope" with a sometimes lethal illness. We have young people dying before their time, and our health care system seems to have little to nothing to say about it.

We know for a fact that people are being discharged in extremely fragile mental condition, with virtually no effective follow up plan ( I know I have seen if for myself). Would we tolerate this for heart patients, diabetics, people with debilitating dementia, a broken leg, or any other serious life threatening condition? Would we then blame that death on their upbringing or inability to cope? It is well known in the Mental Health Business that the risk of death for people suffering from Suicidal mental illness is highest is the early days of being brought to a treatment center. Why would we then discharge them without support,or just with a pep talk, when family members are telling us this person is at serious risk of dying?

I was suicidal as a teen. I have depression. A multipronged approach is best, IMO. I have a supportive family. I have meds to bring my brain (more or less) back into balance. I have also learned coping skills, to keep my thoughts from spiraling out of control. To recognize when they do. I have family and friends who act as touchstones to let me know when I am developing tunnel vision. I have a fairly healthy lifestyle and I exercise to produce endorphins. I have learned how to deal with anxiety, through breathing and focusing on solutions. Do not discount being taught the ability to cope - it was a lifesaver for me then, and still is now.

What scares me - truly terrifies me, is the trend happening in the European countries. They consider depression as a logical reason for euthanasia. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/belgium-woman-24-granted-euthanasia-death-depression-article-1.2276577

It would certainly give the system here an "out" from expensive treatments and programs.

[whatwhat]

I was suicidal as a teen. I have depression. A multipronged approach is best, IMO. I have a supportive family. I have meds to bring my brain (more or less) back into balance. I have also learned coping skills, to keep my thoughts from spiraling out of control. To recognize when they do. I have family and friends who act as touchstones to let me know when I am developing tunnel vision. I have a fairly healthy lifestyle and I exercise to produce endorphins. I have learned how to deal with anxiety, through breathing and focusing on solutions. Do not discount being taught the ability to cope - it was a lifesaver for me then, and still is now.

Thanks for sharing your own personal story Lady tehMa.

I hate how some people always assume that the younger generations have been coddled and babied and because of that we have no skills. Just like every other generation, we all have different parents who taught and treated us differently. Assuming an entire generation of people has no coping skills is extremely ignorant.

Like I have said earlier, I think the "increase" in mental illnesses is because there is education and the stigma is starting to decrease. People are starting to become aware of what anxiety and depression is, and feeling more comfortable seeking help. There isn't the public shame anymore in needing help, the idea to "toughen up and just deal with it".