Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention Livestream Recap with Dr. Horacio Capote, Director of the DENT Psychiatry Clinic.
Talking about Mental Health and Suicide Prevention is very important. A million people a year died by suicide.
“There are a lot of myths to discuss and a lot of questions that you may have, so hopefully we will be able to cover a lot of these topics,” says Dr. Capote.
Myth: you can make someone suicidal by bringing up the topic
“This is completely false,” stats Dr. Capote. “In fact, many people are eager to discuss it, share it, and have an outlet.”
If you have suspicion that someone might have suicidal thoughts, it does not hurt to ask. You’re not going to do anybody any harm by asking. Instead, it shows that you are empathetic and that you care.
Myth: there is nothing you can do
“The data shows us that everyone is completely conflicted about suicide, all the way to the end,” explains Dr. Capote.
There are many places to intervene, and several things you can do. The first thing is to have curiosity to reach out and be willing to be part of the solution.
Recognize the warning signs:
Someone might show warning signs for suicide if they:
- Suddenly are obsessed about death (talking about it, writing about it, etc.)
- Have a change in personality
- Have a change in behavior
“These are signs that something is going on that is worth identifying, and there are more major signs of trouble,” says Dr. Capote.
These significant signs of trouble are:
- A family history of suicide
- If that individual has attempted suicide before
- If that individual has a mental illness
“People with schizophrenia and many other mental illnesses have a much higher risk for suicide compared to the general population,” explains Dr. Capote.
Treatment Options
“Sometimes, we tend to get a little pessimistic about treatment,” says Dr. Capote.
It is important to note that there are many many types of treatment, not just medication treatment. There are many forms of psychotherapy (psychodynamic psychotherapy, supportive psychotherapy), cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and lifestyle management.
Lifestyle management include how you eat and exercise. Active people feel engaged and empowered. The Meditteranean diet is good for the brain.
“The Meditteranean diet is probably just a fancy way of saying ‘eat colorful foods,’” Dr. Capote jokes. “If it is colorful, not bleached, and not processed, you know it has a lot of antioxidants that are helpful and protect your brain.”
Why choose DENT Neurologic Institute
There are a variety of treatments, and DENT Neurologic Institute, fortunately, has all of them available.
“To my knowledge, DENT is perhaps one of the few places that may offer these various treatments in one location,” says Dr. Capote. “We are the only free-standing outpatient institute in the country that offers electroconvulsive therapy.”
If you or someone you know wants to become a patient at DENT, call us at 716-250-2000. Click here to learn more about our Psychiatry Center.
If you are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.
The content of this post is intended for general educational and informational purposes only; it does not constitute medical advice. Readers should always consult with a licensed healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment.