Study shows therapy reduces suicide

Excerpted from “Study discovers a simple but powerful way to reduce suicide,” Fox News. November 24, 2014 — Talk therapy is a simple but powerful way to stop people at high risk of suicide from harming themselves, according to new research. In a study published in the Lancet Psychiatry journal, researchers who tracked tens of thousands of Danes over an 18-year period found that suicides were down 26 percent over a five-year period among people who had attempted suicide and received talking therapy sessions at a suicide prevention clinic, compared to those sent home with no treatment, the BBC reports.

In the first year, those who received talk therapy were not only 27 percent less likely to attempt suicide again, they were 38 percent less likely to die of any cause—and the positive effects could still be seen more than a decade later.

The researchers say the study is the first solid evidence "that psychosocial treatment—which provides support, not medication—is able to prevent suicide in a group at high risk of dying by suicide." A study co-author tells Bloomberg that even though previous studies showed that one in six people who survive a suicide attempt go on to harm themselves again within a year, many suicide survivors who don't require hospitalization for a mental illness are simply sent home without being referred to a counselor.

The researchers, who say the study reinforces the fact that it's "very important to offer support for people who have attempted suicide," plan follow-up studies to determine which kinds of therapy work best.

Commentary

Founder, Executive Director and Psychiatrist at Lighthouse Network Karl Benzio, MD: “God has blessed us with tremendous scientific advancements, leading to some incredibly helpful psychotropic medications. But in my 25 years of prescribing most of them, none of these medications are curative of any behavioral health issue, but rather they only provide symptom management. As this article nicely shows, the more potentially curative intervention for behavioral health struggles is talk therapy specifically aimed at helping an individual see their life circumstances more accurately, then respond with better decisions. Godly decision-making skills, as Solomon wished for, is the most important skill to master because decision-making is the exercise for, or what strengthens, the brain circuitry. The Bible tells us in Romans 12:1-2 and 2 Corinthians 10:4-6, Godly decision-making actually renews the mind and is our divinely powerful weapon. Many studies are now validating this principle, showing psychotherapy is a neurobiological intervention.

“Contrary to evolution mentality, the human condition is still fragile, decaying and suffering. Even in this great scientific era, suicide is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. when counting unreported and passive suicides. Some say Freud was the father of modern psychiatry, but Jesus was the first psychiatrist, starting the modern behavioral health revolution 2,000 years ago with His radical teachings and life example that show us how to make healthy life management decisions to live the abundant life (John 10:10) and ultimately transform our mind.

“Our calling is to continue what Jesus started. So when you see a patient in clinical practice in any circumstance, assume they’re all broken and struggling psychologically to some extent. Ask about life, stress, satisfaction, fulfillment and goal achievement, and see what responses they have, especially if their presenting symptoms might have some stress or psychological contributing factors. Then be a lighthouse guiding them to God’s peace and transformation using some basic counselor/discipling skills and referring them if more professional guidance is needed.”

Resources

A Relentless Hope: Surviving the Storm of Teen Depression
CMDA’s Psychiatry Section
CMDA’s Suicide Ethics Statement

Recognizing and relating to a patient’s emotions

Excerpted from “Should Your Doctor Cry With You?,” U.S. News & World Report. July 2, 2014 — Doctors deal with intensely emotional situations every day, in the face of which they are taught to remain objective. But there’s a growing recognition in clinics and medical schools that empathy and emotional intelligence have a prominent place in medicine, too.

If doctors really want to connect with their patients, says Peter Ubel, a physician and behavioral scientist at Duke University, they should model themselves after Starbucks’ employees. Baristas are trained to handle angry customers using the “latte” method of communication, which stands for: listen; acknowledge the problem; take action to solve it; thank them for bringing it to your attention; explain what you’ve done to fix the problem.

Instead, doctors often dismiss a patient’s negative emotions, Ubel continues. Studies have shown that when cancer patients expressed feelings such as ‘I’m in pain’ or ‘I’m scared,’ their doctors – mostly experienced oncologists – said nothing or changed the subject. But simple acknowledgment of the patient’s feelings – with something like "Oh, I can understand why this must be scary for you" – can open up an emotional channel that improves the relationship as well as, potentially, clinical outcomes.

At the same time, the distance that doctors are taught to maintain from patients is important to uphold. “You don’t want your doctor blubbering around the hospital,” Barron Lerner, an internist and professor of medicine at New York University School of Medicine, says. “There’s a professionalism associated with being able to deal with profoundly emotional situations in a dispassionate manner.”

Commentary

Founder, Executive Director and Psychiatrist at Lighthouse Network Karl Benzio, MD: “The Hippocratic Oath is profound in its message as it is a spiritual covenant to hold as the utmost priority the best for the patient and not the best for the healthcare professional or any other third party. ‘The best’ for the patient pertains to the ultimate spiritual and psychological benefits, as Hippocrates said he would not perform an abortion or euthanasia, which would prioritize the physical over the psychological and spiritual.

“Physicians have expertise and healing to impart to patients, but unless a bridge exists to reach patients, healing will be delayed, compromised or not delivered at all. The bridge is relationship, not only doctor-to-patient but also human-to-human. The first step in building this bridge requires communicating understanding, sensitivity, respect, dignity and honor. This is why healthcare professionals ask probing questions, and our demeanor while patients respond allows them to invite us into their pain. Our responses of sympathy and empathy show we are listening and feeling the hurt, fear or uncertainty that can deeply harm them.

Resources

Grace Prescriptions – Learning How to Share Your Faith in Practice
Moving Beyond Physical Healing by Dr. David Levy