Suicide
is a catastrophe at any age, but youth suicide engenders high levels of
distress and loss in all communities. It is a sad indictment of our mental
health services that on average, world health rankings have categorized Kenya
as one of the countries with high suicide rates at 15.58 per population of 100,000 people.
Youth
in Kenya are increasing using technology therefore, mental health experts in
Kenya may need to consider e-mental health in order to access this particular
group.
Years of research shows that there are multiple risk factors when it comes to suicidal behaviour, and the intricacy involved in risk assessment and crisis intervention, the fears of social media contagion and the potential legal issues, have all combined to make e-mental health professionals cautious in developing tools in this area.
However, the past few years has seen the emergence of apps that seek to directly address suicide prevention. While none of these are available for currently for use, some exciting developments underway in Victoria and Queensland, so stay tuned.
The ASK About Suicide to Save a Life app provides information as well as a crisis intervention resource. It is based on a training program developed by the Texas Department of State Health Services, and Mental Health America of Texas. It connects users to various hotlines and offers advice to family and friends of someone who is considering suicide. ‘ASK’ refers to:
- Ask the question
- Seek more information and keep safe
- Know where to find resources
The
Guard Your Buddy app was developed by the
Tennessee National Guard, the Jason Foundation, and E4 Health, to provide
access to critical resources, on-demand counselling and on-call suicide
prevention. It offers users the opportunity to ‘Talk Now’, which takes them
through to a licensed specialist for suicide prevention and consultation. It
encourages support people through the LIFE acronym:
- Listen
- Insist on honesty
- Be open about your feelings, and encourage your friend or loved one to be open with their feelings as well
- Extend a hand. Go with your friend or loved one to talk with a professional about the situation.
The
We Care app aims to assist leaders in the
identification, assessment and engagement of ‘high risk’ and ‘at risk’
individuals in order to predict, prevent and reduce suicides.
A Friend Asks (Android, iOS) is a free app from the suicide prevention group Jason Foundation. It aims to teach its users how to recognise the signs that someone may be thinking about suicide, and how to reach out to them. It provides users with a list of common warning signs of suicide ideation, do's and don'ts for such a sensitive situation, and easy access to resources such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
R U Suicidal is an app designed by PsychApps International - a small Australian self-funded company that generates psychological apps for smartphones and tablets. It provides a video of a psychologist speaking to a user and guiding them through several interactive phases designed to make them feel safer. The user can enter their own confidential information into the app on their device that is stored in a history tab and can be used again, for example, with a counsellor. Seven video chapters cover feelings, triggers, thoughts, self-support, other support, planning, summary.
An interesting app from the US is called Safety Plan, developed for adults by Barbara Stanley, Gregory K. Brown, and Padraic Doyle from the New York State Office of Mental Health. Clinicians can use the app to help clients customise their own safety plans. It is divided into six sections and also has a button that gives clients in the US instant 24/7 access to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:
1. Warning signs
2. Internal coping strategies
3. Social supports and social settings
4. Family and friends for crisis help
5. Professional and agencies
6. Making the environment safe
My3 is owned and maintained by Link2HealthSolutions, Inc., the administrator of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in the United States. The app was created in partnership with the California Mental Health Services Authority and was funded by the California Mental Health Services Act (Prop. 63). It is essentially a digital safety plan adapted from content developed by B. Stanley & G. Brown (2008) and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The app is designed to be used in partnership with a mental health clinician and allows clients to add the contact information of the three people they feel they would like to talk to if they are having thoughts of suicide.
Clinicians can also use the app to help clients customise their own safety plans by identifying their personal warning signs, coping strategies, distractions and personal networks. This safety plan is with the client all the time, and can help them stay safe when they are thinking about suicide.
None of these apps have been subjected to the gold standard of a randomised control trial, but as time goes by, more and more smartphone apps are being developed and it is gratifying to know many are now being subjected to evaluation.
A Friend Asks (Android, iOS) is a free app from the suicide prevention group Jason Foundation. It aims to teach its users how to recognise the signs that someone may be thinking about suicide, and how to reach out to them. It provides users with a list of common warning signs of suicide ideation, do's and don'ts for such a sensitive situation, and easy access to resources such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
R U Suicidal is an app designed by PsychApps International - a small Australian self-funded company that generates psychological apps for smartphones and tablets. It provides a video of a psychologist speaking to a user and guiding them through several interactive phases designed to make them feel safer. The user can enter their own confidential information into the app on their device that is stored in a history tab and can be used again, for example, with a counsellor. Seven video chapters cover feelings, triggers, thoughts, self-support, other support, planning, summary.
An interesting app from the US is called Safety Plan, developed for adults by Barbara Stanley, Gregory K. Brown, and Padraic Doyle from the New York State Office of Mental Health. Clinicians can use the app to help clients customise their own safety plans. It is divided into six sections and also has a button that gives clients in the US instant 24/7 access to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:
1. Warning signs
2. Internal coping strategies
3. Social supports and social settings
4. Family and friends for crisis help
5. Professional and agencies
6. Making the environment safe
My3 is owned and maintained by Link2HealthSolutions, Inc., the administrator of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in the United States. The app was created in partnership with the California Mental Health Services Authority and was funded by the California Mental Health Services Act (Prop. 63). It is essentially a digital safety plan adapted from content developed by B. Stanley & G. Brown (2008) and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The app is designed to be used in partnership with a mental health clinician and allows clients to add the contact information of the three people they feel they would like to talk to if they are having thoughts of suicide.
Clinicians can also use the app to help clients customise their own safety plans by identifying their personal warning signs, coping strategies, distractions and personal networks. This safety plan is with the client all the time, and can help them stay safe when they are thinking about suicide.
None of these apps have been subjected to the gold standard of a randomised control trial, but as time goes by, more and more smartphone apps are being developed and it is gratifying to know many are now being subjected to evaluation.
Article has input from a blog
by Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, Managing Director, Digital Education
Young and Well CRC
Young and Well CRC
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