One of the greatest failures of counselors and caregivers of persons with mental health problems is becoming complacent in attending to the urgency of our clients’ situation. We get used to the depression waxing and waning and the periodic crises. We get desensitized to the constant crises of our patients with borderline traits. We get lax when our depressed patients start to come out of their depression, when in fact, this is when they are most likely to commit suicide. These are all common reasons that patients seemingly commit suicide with no warning. As a clinician and/or guardian of someone who is depressed or has bipolar disorder, there are several things you can do to prevent unnecessary tragedy.
It is simple to increase our effectiveness with the ABC(DEF)s. A is for assessment. A mental health assessment needs to be conducted and documented at each contact. B is for believe. It can be tempting to dismiss emotional upset as “just another passing crisis” but it is this attitude that prevents us from helping people stay alive. C is for consult. When you have a client in crisis, have a colleague you can consult with. They are less likely...
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