Reasons for not acting on suicidal ideas

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Mental Health
• Public Health

Background:

• Suicide is a significant global health concern, with depression being a primary contributing factor.
• While risk factors for suicidal behavior are well-researched, protective factors remain less explored.
• Understanding protective elements is crucial for developing effective suicide prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify significant protective factors against suicidal acts in depressed patients.
• To compare these protective factors between genders.
• To contribute to the existing literature on suicide prevention in clinical populations.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted.
• Patients admitted to the psychiatry department of Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, meeting ICD-10 criteria for depression and scoring >17 on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale were included.
• Data were collected using the Beck Hopelessness Scale and a modified Reasons for Living Inventory (RLI), with depression severity assessed by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale.

Main Results:

• The mean Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score was 23.30 ± 4.32.
• Responsibility towards family emerged as the highest-scoring subscale on the RLI for both males and females.
• Religious beliefs were the second most significant RLI subscale, and females reported a significantly higher fear of social disapproval than males.

Conclusions:

• Responsibility towards family is the most potent protective factor against acting on suicidal ideation in this population.
• Religious beliefs also play a significant role as a protective factor.
• Fear of social disapproval is a more pronounced protective factor for females compared to males.