Depression and Suicide Prevention Essay Example
Depression and Suicide Prevention Essay Example

Depression and Suicide Prevention Essay Example

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  • Pages: 17 (4627 words)
  • Published: March 30, 2022
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Introduction

From our previous encounter at the Suicide and depression screening in the Emergency Department, it is evidently clear that depression and suicide are a global problem that goes undetected, resulting in enormous loss of lives. According to World Health Organization, more than 800,000 people lose life to suicide each year while a huge number go unaccounted for. For example, based on World Health Organization data report of 2012, more than 75% of suicides take place in low and middle-income nations. This means suicide is ranked higher among the primary causes of death worldwide. For instance, 60% of deaths in Asia are caused by suicide, 25% in China and 38% in the United States (WHO, 2016). According to a suicidality report by the CNN, more women commit suicide than men. The gender-based perspective indicates that 60% of women commit suicide as compared to 2

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8 % of men (Carina, 2012). Following these statistics and the information gained from the emergency department screening, suicidality is a global menace that requires a solution of urgency. Therefore, this paper will explore different evidence-based solutions to depression and suicide by hooking the cause of increased suicidal rates to major depressive disorder (MDD).

Analysis of the Clinical Problems

What is the clinical problem?

In our case, depression and suicidality remain the primary clinical problem. The core reason for crowning depression and suicide as our clinical problem is based on the number of suicides rates reported in different parts of the world. Regardless of the fact that 90% of suicide rates are reported in the Asian region, America, and European region are also at a higher risk (WHO, 2016). According to the American Foundation for Suicide

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Prevention, suicide is ranked 10th among the leading cause of deaths in the United States. This translates to more than 42,773 loss of life each year. Simple statistics may indicate that United States losses more than 120 people daily to suicidality. Further statistics shows that for every one successful suicide, there are 25 attempts. Other than the loss of skills and reduction in population in America, increased suicidal rates cost the country more than $44 billion annually (AFSP, 2016).

What is the current practice in the setting?

From a public health approach, psychologists and health caregivers associate Major depressive disorder (MDD) with increased depression and suicidality in the world. In most cases, the major depressive disorder resulting from interpersonal problems, substance abuse, delinquency, unemployment or stressful living condition leads to depression which escalates to future suicidal attempts (Bolton, 2015). Health care providers, mental doctors and psychologists in support by the World Health Organization indicate that more than 121 million people globally suffer from Major Depressive Disorder which translates to low productivity and huge medical expenditures in affected areas. In most cases, they depend on medication and therapies as the core treatment methods (WHO, 2016). According to the ideas, we learned from the emergency screening department, one in every 20 people is suffering from depression but he or she does not know. Therefore, the presence of the screening centers in the best practice to detecting depression and stress in the population. Furthermore, screening department helps in referring at-risk population to relevant health centers for either medication or therapy.

Factors That Contribute or Impact the Problem

From the empirical statistics analyzed during the emergency department screening, it was evident that more

than 90% of youths Adolescents are at higher risk of acquiring depression leading to suicidal thoughts. The next populations at an increased risk are the elderly followed by the adults (Bolton, 2015). Depression influences individuals who end up taking away their life. Therefore, it is important looking at individuals who are vulnerable to depression and suicide. First, youths who have a traumatic life history or experience have a higher chance of getting depressed hence taking suicide as the exist option. For example, children who have experienced parental neglect, physical or sexual abuse have an increased risk of committing suicide (King, Berona, Czyz, Horwitz, & Gipson, 2015).

Furthermore, individuals suffering from mental health conditions such as schizophrenia are at high risk of committing suicide. In most cases, this case may be influenced by the lifestyle which the affected individual adopts. For example, youths in alcoholism or drug misuse are more likely to get depressed hence suicide. From a societal and individual level perspective, individuals working in stressful working environment, unemployed or living under abusive relationship or marriages are more likely to get depressed hence resulting to suicidality (Bondurant & Morton, 2016).

Family history and genetics takes up a 1% of the factors contributing to depression and suicides. From a genetical point of view, genetics has the capability of influencing an individual’s personality factors which lead to aggressiveness or impulsiveness in their life. When depressed or stressed by a minor issue, such individuals are more likely to take up suicidal behavior as the only remedy (Hollingshaus, Coon, Crowell, S. E., Gray, Hanson, Pimentel & Smith, 2016). But, experiencing a stressful event, hopelessness, loss of interest, low mood and despair

in personal life are the fruits of depression which are ranked first in influencing an individual to commit suicide (Bondurant & Morton, 2016).
Basically, the factors contributing to depression and suicide may be unfolded using the guidelines given by Thomas Joiner, the American Psychologist who developed the Interpersonal theory of suicide (Joiner & American Psychological Association, 2009). The theory classifies the factors that result into suicide in three different levels. The first level is defined as the Perception where the affected individual feels alone in the whole world. They feel that no one in the entire universe cares about them, therefore, ending up in depression hence suicide. The second level is a feeling of hopeless and uselessness among the depressed individual. This depression may be either to social issues (family or relationship), Economic (unemployment) or political pressures (racial or gender discrimination). Stress from the above situation may end up influencing the individual to take up death as the only solution. The third level is fearlessness towards death or pain. Due to high drug and alcohol intoxication, most individual are fearless and may end up taking up suicide as a normal way in existing earth. Furthermore, individuals who are exposure to physical or sexual abuse may be fearless towards death and hence take up suicide as the route to existing their earthly challenges and pains.

Synthesize Research Results From The Evidence

Patterns and Trends

From the research results, the patterns and trends of depression and suicide are gender, racial and age influenced. First, it is clear that youths Adolescent and elderly people seniors are more likely to get depressed hence suicide. On the other hand, women and girls are more

likely to take up suicide as the only solution towards their problems in marriages, employment or a patriarchal society. According to the data presented by the World Health Organization on their Website, more suicides rates are experienced in Asian region where there are more black and the whites. The primary reason for this racial-suicidal rate correlation is based on stress in living conditions, drug abuse, increase in crime and predisposition of mental conditions in the region (WHO, 2016).

According to a report presented by the CNN on April 22nd, 2016, the level of suicides has increased in America and specifically the United States since the year 1999. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention highlights that individuals ranging from ages of 10 years to 74 years of age and living in the United States have an increased chance of committing suicide. The data in this report is was retrieved from the National Center for Health Statistics publication that indicated that more whites are committing suicide as compared to the blacks. Regardless of the decrease, more Alaska Natives and American Indians were leading in suicidal cases in the United States with an 89% in women and 38% of men. The same gender disparity is present among the whites with 60% of white women and 28 % of white men committing suicide. The report indicates that lower socio-economic status and access to drug and substance abuse may be the leading cause of increased suicide rates among the Alaska Natives and American Indians (Carina, 2012).

Additionally, the report highlights that increased depression and suicide trends in America may be as a result of drug overdose through the use of intentional

opiate painkillers. Other than this trend of using painkillers, men are believed to relying on firearms to commit suicide while a percentage of women use poisons as the primary element of causing suicide. From the patterns and trends, it's quite clear that adolescent women are more prone to suicide than their counterpart the males (Carina, 2012). Therefore, depression and suicide may be crowned at the leading cause of death among the youths globally.

Differences among the Articles

As far as research is concerned, the articles are very different in terms of data and information used. Most articles utilize both the qualitative data methods while other uses Quantitative. But, articles from the World Health Organization and CNN reports applies both the qualitative and quantitive methods to explain the actual cause and statistics related to depression and suicidality among our population. The quantitive data is used in explaining the numbers, the statistics and the trends in which suicide cases are moving over years. On the contrary, the qualitative data explains the theories, causes, risks and assumption related to depression and suicidality in our society.

One article that was completely different from the rest was by (Bartoli, Carrà, Crocamo & Clerici, 2015) and looked into the analysis done by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). According to the article the common signs of depression in the at-risk population are; mood swings, anhedonia, increase or decrease of appetite, weight loss or gain and hypersomnia. Furthermore, the article agrees with other authors in exploring a feeling of worthlessness, inappropriate guilt and death thoughts in the affected individual. The article also shed light by highlighting that these signs and symptoms of

the depression force the affected adolescent to withdraw from occupation and social unions and adopting drug abuse and death thoughts are the primary remedy for his or her worries.

From a general overview, almost all articles related increased suicidality to major depressive disorders and stressful events in life. Following their assumptions and exploration, the articles suggested for Cognitive behavioral therapies, Cognitive behavioral analysis, Behavioral Activation and medication administration for severe cases of depression. They conclude that these strategies are the most effective in lowering the cases of suicide in the society by fighting depression and other stress triggers in the at-risk population. Despite the fact that the articles have diverse information and data, most of them agree with the concern that depression is the primary cause of increased suicidal rates in the world (Bartoli, Carrà, Crocamo & Clerici, 2015). They also agree to the fact that medication antidepressants and therapy are the most effective way of fighting depression among the youths and at-risk population seniors and a small percentage of adults.

Transferability of Solutions to the Clinical Problem

Transferring the solution to the affected patient cannot be successful without first assessing who among the population is under depression which may result in suicidal thoughts. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders offers numerous methods that can be implemented by professional nurses to assess and book the affected individual for treatment. The first method is the use of the Structured Clinical interview that assists nurses in knowing whether a given adolescent or adult is under stress or depression (Bartoli, Carrà, Crocamo & Clerici, 2015). This Structured Clinical Interview evaluated patients on their current and past symptoms in pursuit

of their level of stress or depression. This assessment helps in sorting the patients and their preferred type of therapy or treatment.

According to the World Health Organization, any form of medication or therapy to cab depression and suicidal thoughts. Therefore, they suggest for a composite international diagnostic interview CIDI that assess the individual on access to psychotherapy, barriers to treatment and use of medication (WHO, 2016). This form of assessment works in transferring the best form of psychotherapy or treatment based on the gaps and present in his or her environment. In essence, the substantial evidence retrieved from these evidence helps in determining the most effective way of reducing depression or any other suicidal thoughts that may be affecting the patient.

Lastly, the last and most effective platform of transferring evidence-based solutions to our clinical problem are through the use of a Mini-international Neuropsychiatric Interview MINI that was created by Clinicians, nurses and psychiatrists from the European Union and the United States. This interview screens for all DSM-IV disorders with more focus on the patients past and present history. The reliability and validity of this method make it easy for the nurses and psychiatrists to choose the best form of psychotherapy or medication to fit the client. Therefore, from this analysis, it is clear that transferability of a solution towards of clinical problem depression and suicide begins by evaluating the patient’s history, signs, and symptoms as well as their feeling towards self and the world around them (Bartoli, Carrà, Crocamo & Clerici, 2015). By doing this, the clinicians and nurses can understand the best psychotherapy or medication to give to the affected patient.

Similarities and differences between

the research projects compared to the context of your professional practice

Similarities

Based on my professional practice, stress and depression are two mental disorders that can go unnoticed in most patients. It is common for professional nurses to interact with a client who has some ethical behavior and only to receive the news that they killed, shot or hanged him or herself. On other cases, nurses in my professional practice are exposed to all sorts of suicidal scenario both at work on in our neighborhoods. For example, it is always stressful to interact with an individual who views his or her life stressful and only to find them dead asleep on their hospital bed due to intoxication with painkillers. The real-life situation experienced in my profession is vividly echoed by almost all articles. The reports highlight that most nurses are faced with post-traumatic stresses which result from their interaction with depressed or suicide victims.

Another similar issue between the research project context and my person professional as a nurse is that we encounter more depressed women than men. In most cases, more women are admitted for food poisoning, alcohol intoxication or drug abuse. After following the case, it is always evident that depression from the relationship, workplace or family matters was the core reason for poisoning herself. Furthermore, in my professional, we encounter more adolescents and elderly individuals than adults. This agrees with most information highlighted by the reviewed journals and articles. Basically, the information highlighted in the article is a true reflection of what is happening in our nursing profession.

Differences

The only difference between my professional practice and the research project is the methods used in transferring the

solutions to the clinical problems. First, our professional center relies on an emergency screening department where at-risk patients are moved for interrogation and interviews. Furthermore, regardless of the fact that we rely on psychotherapy and medication, we also encourage brain surgery for most severe cases. According to the reviewed journals, most of them are suggesting psychotherapy and medication Antidepressants as the two primary treatments for depression and suicidal thoughts. Regardless of the fact that this true, the most effective way of collecting the situation is the use of brain surgery removal of the affected brain part supplemented by psychotherapy. Use of medication is not supported because some of the drug side effects are increased suicidal thoughts which we as professional nurses are fighting.

How the Results Of The Studies Might Be Transferred to our Professional Practice

The information given acquired from the results may be transferred into our professional practice through the emergency screening department for depression and suicidal thoughts. In our profession, the emergency department for screening depression and suicidal thoughts is the primary ground for evaluating and scrutinizing patients on different mental related disorders. Therefore, the department may easy adopt the three patient interviewing strategies into their innovative patient evaluation procedures.

Moreover, the research results have highlighted some of the primary causes of depression and suicidal thoughts in most patients. Therefore, by following these guidelines, the nurses in these emergency departments can quickly know the actual interview questions to take the patient through. Variously, the research results have given us some of the warning signs and symptoms that a depressed patient is likely to have. Having this mind, nurses within my professional practice may place these

facts on the back of their mind while evaluating patients for mental disorders, suicidal thoughts or depression.

Impact of Technology on Depression and Suicidality

By having suicide ranked as one of the leading causes of death, it means that prevention of suicide is one challenging task for public health professionals. As a matter of fact, it requires the input of all forces within the health organization to innovate technologies, targeted interventions and remedies to screen at-risk individuals as well as aid in following up suicide survivors. Numerous technologies positively impact the field of health as far as mental health is concerned.

According to DSM-IV, social withdrawal is one sign of depression which may escalate to suicidal behavior (Bartoli, Carrà, Crocamo & Clerici, 2015). In this age of the website, the internet and social media, different technologies have been invented to detect youth social withdrawals. On apps store, there are Android apps Such as the Dog Institute App that use Bluetooth and wife detection to compare and contrast the number of youths on different social Medias in a given point in time. According to research conducted by the Dog Institute, the higher the number of individuals withdraws from social sites, the higher the number of suicides reported in those specific areas (Black Dog Institute, 2016). Following this, it is evident that technology can help field doctors and psychiatrist to know the specific area to direct their field screening to act a given point in time.

Another common technological tool in use is the PHQ-9 administrative tools that screen and ascertains the actual level of depression in a given patient. The assessment is very crucial as it evaluates an individual for

the root-cause of depression, offer a brief intervention as well as refer the patient for specialized treatment. For example, a youth under depression due to drug abuse may be taken for rehabilitation as he or she awaits medication or psychotherapy (John, 2016). These screening and referral technologies are positively impacting the work of nurses working within the mental health departments.

Implications for Using this Technology

Impact to the Nurses

Technology helps in bridging the gap between the known and unknown as far as detection of depression and suicidal thoughts is concerned. For example, mobile applications can make it easy for nurses to understand and know the actual issues that influenced a given patient to withdrawal from social sites. Furthermore, these technologies such as PHQ-9 tool make it easy for nurses to detect depression without undergoing long processes of interviewing aggressive or hard to deal with the patient (John, 2016). In essence, technology has made the work of nurses easier and at the same time improved the effectiveness and efficiency of their roles in scrutinizing depression and its effects on a given patient.

Impact on Different Departments, Procedures, and Processes

Effective suicide prevention strategy may only be achieved by collaboration between various departments and individuals within a health provision setup. Use of technology only facilitates this workable collaboration. For example, use of electronic medical records and electronic health records makes it easy for administrative nurses to share patient history with nurses working within the screening and emergency department. Therefore, technology facilitates the easy acquisition, storage, transfer of patient information from one department to another within a health organization (Weßlau, Charlotte, Cloos, Marie, Ho?fling, Volkmar, & Steil, 2015). In so doing, technology

increases the efficiency and effectiveness of each department.

Other than improving the performance of nurses and their departments, technology also increases the efficiency of procedures and processes used in screening at-risk population. For example, mobile applications help in testing withdrawal signs and symptoms from adolescents by just evaluating their performance on social media platforms. On severe conditions, technology such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and Magnetoencephalography (MEG) are used in imaging the part of the brain affected which also aid during surgery (Weßlau, Charlotte, Cloos, Marie, Ho?fling, Volkmar, & Steil, 2015). Based on this evaluation, it is clear that technology has the capability of bridging all the gaps present in nursing, interdepartmental relation and processes used in screening and treating depression and suicidal thoughts.

Evidence-Based Solution

The most effective evidence-based solution for depression and suicidality is Cognitive Behavioral Treatment supplemented by Cognitive Behavioral Analysis system of Psychotherapy and Behavioral activation. The primary reason for choosing this approach is based on its ability to solve the problem in the patient’s life, impact their social skills and improve their relaxation against stressing situations.

Ethical considerations in implementing the evidence-based solution

According to Aristotle, morality is the individual’s self-will to perform tasks not because they are okay or right to them, but because they help the individual get near to the end. Basically, this means that individual should do things that have a “good” for man (Aristotle & In Burnet, 1967). In our case, the therapist must understand that the patient has the freedom of privacy, consent as well as confidentiality while undergoing the treatment process. In implementing our evidence-based solution Cognitive Behavioral Treatment and therapy, the therapist

or (professional nurse or clinician) must, therefore, consider patients value, capacity for individual determination, consent and confidentiality of personal issues and information in order to consider the solution morally right.

Challenges and Barriers to successfully using Technology

There are numerous challenges and barriers associated with adopting technology in dealing with depression and suicidality. The first challenge is a security concern as far as confidentially, and patient health data is concerned. Frequent encryption, transition, and decryption of patient data from one department to another loss of data or access to confidential patient information by an authorized individual are expected.

Another major challenge is data regulation and privacy needs. Privacy laws increase the burden that must be incurred by hospitals. Having this in mind, hospitals are expected to continue upgrading their system based on how technology is advancing in their particular areas (Nielssen, Olav, Dear, Blake, Staples and Lauren, 2015). Therefore, the initial cost of adopting these technological tools and upgrading it remains the primary barrier to adopting technology in the field of depression and suicidality screening and treatment.

Technological tools depend on power which means that during a power break down the systems cannot offer the required services to the patient. Furthermore, some technological failures may cost life to the patients. For example, improper use of imaging technology such as MRI may lead to burning of body cells causing cancer or any other dangerous diseases. The last challenge is user experience and knowledge to use the portals. This challenge applies to both the nurses and the patient. Lack of training or knowledge on how to operate such sophisticated system creates a huge problem for the users. Therefore, adoption of technology

may be time-consuming and challenging to both the patients and the nurses.

Conclusion

As a result of this depression and suicidality exploration, it is evidently clear that some of their signs and symptoms remain undetected in most patients. According to the analyzed statistics, more women than men are affected by depression resulting to suicidal thoughts. Following this, more women take away their life through suicide than men (Chang & Tan, 2015). Also, it’s now clear that the two main methods used in these suicides are the use of firearms in men and poisoning intoxication with painkillers in women. Therefore, the only effective evidence-based solution to depression and suicidality is Cognitive behavior treatment and therapy. This method involves screening, a brief intervention of the severe signs and finally referring the affected patient for specialized psychotherapy, medication or brain surgery. Cognitive behavior treatment is supported by technologies such as screening tools and electronic medical records to study patient history (Nielssen, Olav, Dear, Blake, Staples and Lauren, 2015). Despite this effective collaboration between the evidence-based solution and technology, hospitals must be ready to undertake costs of implementing, maintain and training their teams to use the technology (Betz, Arias, Miller, Barber, Espinola, Sullivan, Manton, Boudreaux, 2015). All in all, the paper can confidently conclude that Cognitive behavior treatment and therapy is the most effective depression and suicidal thoughts treatment method because it treats the disorder right from the roots, does follow-ups and ensure that a patient regains his or her normal life.

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