It’s Hard To Predict Who Will Be Suicidal. It’s Easier To Ensure People Can’t Shoot Themselves.
Some mental health experts favor suicide prevention steps that are applied broadly, with protections that aren’t tied to an individual’s specific risk.
Paul Nestadt, a seasoned psychiatrist and suicide prevention expert, admits that pinpointing which of his patients are likely to take their own lives in the next six months remains a formidable challenge. Despite this, he remains optimistic, believing that the solution lies in reducing the means available to carry out a suicide.
Nestadt suggests that rather than attempting to identify at-risk individuals, society should focus on making it more difficult for people to commit suicide. In an ongoing series from KFF Health News, the focus is on exploring suicide prevention methods beyond medication and therapy. The challenge is that policies related to firearms are complex due to legal and political considerations.
Firearms are responsible for over half of all suicide deaths in the U.S., with recent data indicating an alarming increase in gun suicides over the past five years. Despite recent overall declines in suicide rates, gun suicides continue to surge. Policies such as background checks, waiting periods, and red flag laws often spark heated debates, as they challenge Second Amendment rights for gun owners and are viewed as non-starters by many policymakers.
President Trump, a strong ally of gun owners, has rolled back numerous firearms regulations and shown little interest in addressing the gun violence public health crisis. However, one gun policy that has gained traction is the extreme risk protection order, or red flag law. These laws allow judges to temporarily remove firearms from individuals deemed a danger to themselves or others.
Although they require identifying someone at risk, studies show that for every 10 to 20 guns removed under these laws, one suicide is prevented. Despite their effectiveness, red flag laws have limitations, as demonstrated by Dorothy Paugh's personal experience. Her father's suicide in 1965 served as a catalyst for her advocacy, leading to the passage of a red flag law in Maryland.
Paugh acknowledges that the law couldn't have saved her father but believes it has saved countless lives.
Written by urgent.news from KFF Health News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
