What happens if you tell a doctor that you are suicidal?
If you have having serious suicidal thoughts, do not delay. Ring 999 or go to A&E now
Someone saying ‘I’m suicidal’ can mean very different things, depending on the person’s personality, history and circumstances.
Any doctor who hears this will do a mental state assessment, to try and get an idea of your level of risk.
Individuals can present in very different ways when they say that they are suicidal, so it is important that a safe assessment takes place when someone says they plan to take their own life. Some may have difficulties seeking help and express emotional statements, however have no immediate plans to end their life; whereas others can be very understated and non-dramatic, but be very urgently at risk.
A doctor or other mental health professional is looking for:
- Degree of suicidal intent
- Presence of a plan and likely lethality
- Access to means to carry out the plan.
Range of options
They will want to be as certain as possible that you are safe and have a wide range of options:
- Speak with you on the day to create a plan you can carry out at home to keep you safe.
- Prescribe emergency medication
- Arrange for the Mental Health Crisis Team to see you today
- Refer to a psychiatrist for review with a specialist team
- Plan immediate admission to hospital via A&E.
This is one man’s story:
When I first went to the GP and said I couldn’t stop thinking about killing myself, he took me very seriously. He prescribed a small amount of diazepam to help and made a referral to the local Mental Health Crisis Team. They called me that day and asked if I could keep myself safe. I said I could that day, so I had an appointment with them the following day where they assessed me and put in visits and help till I was over the worst.
Summary
We have described what happens if you tell a doctor that you are suicidal. Please seek help soon if you are having such thoughts. The information in this article should help you.
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