To begin with, a history of suicide attempts is the most significant predictor of death by suicide, and therefore the care of suicide attempt survivors is a priority in suicide prevention. Tertiary prevention research focuses on supporting the improvement of practices.
However, transforming research evidence into more effective real-life health care systems is an ongoing challenge, research has shown that the subjective experiences of suicide attempt survivors, care is related to treatment outcome and future engagement with services.
Professionals’ behaviour linked to recovery
Many suicide attempt survivors also reported that the professional acted in a manner
that felt intentionally punitive and/or accusatory, such as aggressively telling an “adult” to “stop playing.” These incidents were described as hurtful but did not appear to prevent participants from subsequently having good experiences with other professionals.
Subsequently, several participants described learning to fear and avoid a specific treatment context because of hostile or demeaning interactions with staff that they experienced themselves or witnessed peer experiences. Some cited this as a personal barrier to care and as precipitating self-harm.
Meanwhile, careful investigation of a suicide attempt should be considered important or even
essential for formulating meaningful recovery goals or treatment plans. Psychological continuity is further undermined by cognitive dysfunction during the most acute phase of a survivor’s suicidal crisis.
The Mental Health Act (MHCA), 2017
Moreover, the number of people who attempt suicide is 25 times higher than the number of people who die by suicide each year. The Government of India passed the Mental Health Act 2017 (MHCA) in mid-2018. Section 115 of the Act decriminalized attempted suicide, reducing further stress on the victim. This has legal ramifications with regard to solicitation laws under Sections 109, 116, 306 and 309 of the Indian Penal Code. Regarding the provision of mental health care, this law allows a person who has attempted to die by suicide to have access to free health care, treatment and rehabilitation.
In conclusion, the cost implications for the government are huge. Doctors, mental health professionals and general and mental health facilities involved in the care of people who have attempted suicide must update their knowledge to improve their assessment and management skills to comply with the provisions of the Act . Extensive public awareness programs should be undertaken to enable people who have attempted suicide to access mental health care in accordance with the provisions of the MHCA 2017.
