THE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL AS SUICIDE SURVIVOR

Mental health professionals of all disciplines are now recognized as survivors when a patient under their care for treatment commits suicide and are impacted by emotions similar to those reported by survivors in the family, relative, lover, close friend ? that is grief, sadness, loss, shame, guilt, anxiety, anger, etc. In addition to these personal reactions, however, the mental health professional may react with emotions that stem from his professional position, such as failure of responsibility, loss of self-esteem, disturbed relationships with colleagues, social withdrawal, doubts about one?s skills and clinical competence, and others. For those in a training or learning position, there may be the added stress from being under constant observation and evaluation, concerns of criticisms from supervisors and academic faculty etc. Examples are given of reactions among professionals in outpatient practice, hospital and clinic practice, residents/interns/ trainee status and therapists in a survivor group setting. Recommendations for helping the clinician-survivor include provision of information and education for beginning clinicians about the possibility of such an event, procedures to follow, obligations and contingencies to prepare for; incorporation of instructions about such an event in hospital and clinic policy and procedure manuals; and arranging for psychological autopsies and experienced professional consultations for those in outpatient practice. Help also exists now for consultation through the internet.