A<unk>  prevention fence on a bridge<unk>  prevention is a term used for the collective efforts to reduce the incidence of<unk>  through preventive measures. Protective factors for<unk>  include support, and access to therapy. About 60% of people with<unk> l thoughts do not seek help. Reasons for not doing so include low perceived need, and wanting to deal with the problem alone. Despite these high rates, there are few established treatments available for<unk> l behavior. Reducing access to certain methods, such as firearms or toxins such as opioids and pesticides, can reduce risk of<unk>  by that method. This may be in part because<unk>  is often an impulsive decision, with up to 70% of near-fatal<unk>  attempts made after less than one hour of deliberation—thus, reducing access to easily-accessible methods of<unk>  may make impulsive attempts less likely to succeed. Other measures include reducing access to charcoal (for burning) and adding barriers on bridges and subway platforms. Treatment of drug and alcohol addiction, depression, and those who have attempted<unk>  in the past, may also be effective. Some have proposed reducing access to alcohol as a preventive strategy (such as reducing the number of bars). In young adults who have recently thought about<unk> , cognitive behavioral therapy appears to improve outcomes. School-based programs that increase mental health literacy and train staff have shown mixed results on<unk>  rates. Economic development through its ability to reduce poverty may be able to decrease<unk>  rates. Efforts to increase social connection, especially in elderly males, may be effective. In people who have attempted<unk> , following up on them might prevent repeat attempts. Although crisis hotlines are common, there is little evidence to support or refute their effectiveness. Preventing childhood trauma provides an opportunity for<unk>  prevention. The World<unk>  Prevention Day is observed annually on September 10 with the support of the International Association for<unk>  Prevention and the World Health Organization. Screening There is little data on the effects of screening the general population on the ultimate rate of<unk> . Screening those who come to the emergency departments with injuries from self-harm have been shown to help identify<unk>  ideation and<unk>  intention. Psychometric tests such as the Beck Depression Inventory or the Geriatric Depression Scale for older people are being used. As there is a high rate of people who test positive via these tools that are not at risk of<unk> , there are concerns that screening may significantly increase mental health care resource utilization. Assessing those at high risk, though, is recommended. Asking about<unk> lity does not appear to increase the risk. Mental illness In those with mental health problems, a number of treatments may reduce the risk of<unk> . Those who are actively<unk> l may be admitted to psychiatric care either voluntarily or involuntarily. Possessions that may be used to harm oneself are typically removed. Some clinicians get patients to sign<unk>  prevention contracts where they agree to not harm themselves if released. However, evidence does not support a significant effect from this practice. If a person is at low risk, outpatient mental health treatment may be arranged. Short-term hospitalization has not been found to be more effective than community care for improving outcomes in those with borderline personality disorder who are chronically<unk> l. There is tentative evidence that psychotherapy, specifically dialectical behaviour therapy, reduces<unk> lity in adolescents as well as in those with borderline personality disorder. It may also be useful in decreasing<unk>  attempts in adults at high risk. However, a decrease in<unk>  has not been observed. There is controversy around the benefit-versus-harm of antidepressants. In young persons, some antidepressants, such as SSRIs, appear to increase the risk of<unk> lity from 25 per 1000 to 40 per 1000. In older persons, however, they may decrease the risk. Lithium appears effective at lowering the risk in those with bipolar disorder and major depression to nearly the same levels as that of the general population. Clozapine may decrease the thoughts of<unk>  in some people with schizophrenia. Ketamine, which is a dissociative anaesthetic, seems to lower the rate of<unk> l ideation. In the United States, health professionals are legally required to take reasonable steps to try to prevent<unk> .
Suicide
Drowning
Copycat suicide
Assisted suicide
Youth suicide
Addiction
Assault
Night terror