The Serious Suicide Attempts Approach for Understanding Suicide: Review of the Psychological Evidence

Abstract

The study of survivors of a serious suicide attempt (SSA)––an attempt that would have been fatal had it not been for the provision of rapid and effective emergency treatment––can help researchers understand the suicidal mind. Serious suicide attempters are epidemiologically very similar to those who died by suicide, and thus can serve as valid proxies for studying suicides. In this paper, our objective was to briefly review the main risk factors that may facilitate more dangerous suicide behavior with high levels of intent. Our review highlights several dimensions of risk factors for SSAs, including psychopathology, mental pain, communication difficulties, decision-making impulsivity, and aggression. Several studies have indicated that the interaction between some of these dimensions, especially between mental pain and interpersonal difficulties, may serve as major catalysts for SSAs. Suicidal risk assessment should incorporate a designated evaluation of these risk factors as part of suicide prevention models.

Suicidal Behavior and Its Association With Psychological Distress, Coping Mechanisms, and Resilience: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…This contrasts with the literature stating that resilience is a protective factor against SB [12,38]. The difference could be explained by the fact that in our sample, male attempters had lower resilience and more substance use than females, both factors closely related to serious suicide attempts [89]. Increased resilience might also lead to better concealment of suicidal plans and feelings of increased shame, contributing to lethal suicide attempts.…”

Suicide Risk Assessments Through the Eyes of ChatGPT-3.5 Versus ChatGPT-4: Vignette Study

“…Thwarted belongingness, as defined by Van Orden et al [ 35 ], alludes to feelings of alienation from others and emphasizes the distressing sensation of exclusion from one’s family, friends, or other valued groups. This construct plays a critical role in suicide, as belongingness represents a fundamental psychological need, and failure to meet this need can lead to profound distress [ 36 ]. In a previous study, the tendency of ChatGPT-3.5 (March 14 version) to consistently underestimate the risk of suicide attempts, compared to estimates by professionals in the mental health field, was unveiled [ 6 ].…”

Mental Pain Surrounding Suicidal Behaviour: A Review of What Has Been Described and Clinical Recommendations for Help

“…Similarly, our review of the most frequent terms used in discussing mental pain highlights alexithymia as a trait that might interfere with the capacity to recognise the sources of mental pain. In such cases, when the pain becomes unbearable, the confusion and emotional overflow can be understood as a call for help and support (38,39).…”