Suicide can be prevented, mental health experts say, but not without a massive shift in the way the public, medical community, insurance companies and government deal with it. The reasons suicidal people don't get help are both personal and societal. They fear the effects of mood-altering medication. Family and friends disregard or don't know the warning signs of suicide. More than 90 percent of suicidal people have some type of diagnosable mental disorder, usually depression, but medical doctors don't routinely screen patients for depression or ask about suicidal thoughts.
Mental illnesses are real.
44 million people experience some type of mental disorder each year. Even when depression is diagnosed in a suicidal patient, limited coverage for mental health services by managed care plans can restrict access to therapy and medication in an effort to save costs. Parity of access is critical. Parity actually pays and we have to get that message across. There also is no universally accepted method among mental health professionals for treating suicidal patients, which can affect the consistency and quality of care.