Suicide Case Study

Suicide is a serious public health problem that causes immeasurable pain, suffering, and loss to individuals, families, and communities nationwide. Family members, friends, coworkers, and others in the community all suffer the long-lasting consequences of suicidal behaviors (United States Surgeon General, 2012). According to the United States Surgeon General (2012), suicide is the 10th leading cause of death, claiming more than twice as many lives each year as does homicide. Most people are uncomfortable with the topic of suicide (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 2015). Part of the problem with helping those with suicidal ideation could rest within clinicians finding suicide a difficult subject to discuss with their clients. For various reasons such as discomfort with the suicide assessment process, fears of client vulnerability and suicidality, clinician counter transference (perhaps one’s friend or relative attempted or completed

The United States Surgeon General (2012), reports more than 8 million adults report having serious thoughts of suicide in the past year, 2.5 million report making a suicide plan in the past year, and 1.1 million report a suicide attempt in the past year.

Suicide among young between 15 and 24 ranks third in the leading cause of death (Toth et al., 2007). The top three methods used in suicides of young people include firearm (45%), suffocation (40%), and poisoning (8%) (CDC, 2015). The age group considered most at risk is white males over the age of 65. Many elderly people are struggling with the loss of family and friends as well as physical and mental depreciation. Occasionally this leads to depression that many have never experienced before and their coping strategies are inadequate (Toth et al., 2007). Seven out of every 100 men and one out of every 100 women who have had clinical depression at some point will complete suicide (Toth et al.,