Preventing suicide: recent news from the blog of Berkhamsted counsellor Sean Heneghan
Preventing suicide: recent news from the blog of Berkhamsted counsellor Sean Heneghan
In recent research from the US it’s been reported that scientists using an MRI scanner can detect with 91% accuracy whether a person is contemplating suicide. In addition the research reported that scientists could predict with 94% accuracy whether a person has attempted suicide historically.
While there are all sorts of ethical issues around using technology to ascertain’s people’s thoughts, feelings and intentions and it’s not clear how the findings would be used in the support of people having such experiences, the research may represent the early stages of changes in how technology impacts the treatment of health and illness.
The article, reported in Big think states that 44,000 Americans commit suicide each year and that it’s the second leading cause of death among young adults. Among those who’ve completed suicide, 80% denied such thoughts at their last visit with a mental health professional.
In the UK, the mental health foundation states that in 2016 there were 5,668 suicides in Great Britain, 75% of which were male and that suicide is the most common cause of death for men between the ages of 20-49 years. One person in fifteen has made a suicide attempt at some point in their life.
Feeling suicidal can be a very lonely and scary place to be in which the overwhelming emotional suffering makes it very hard to think clearly about ourselves, life and what possibilities may or may not exist in the future. It’s vital if you’re in that place to reach out and seek help. A good counsellor will connect with you without judgement or coercion and support you as you are. Your GP also is an important port of call.
Many people when they think about whether they could live life without the suffering they’re in or the problems they’ve got would choose to live. So it’s important to realise that often people who are suicidal often want to live, it’s just they can’t imagine life without the suffering they’ve got. Counselling for people in such a place very often saves lives.
If you’re suffering and need a counsellor I can be reached at sean@seanheneghan.com or 07717 515 013.
The samaritans are a charity that are available 365 days a year, 24 hours a day for people that are suffering and need to talk, they can be reached free of charge on 116 123 or for more information their website is