Comments on: Description of Golden Gate Bridge Barrier http://commitmenttoliving.com/2008/10/21/description-of-golden-gate-bridge-barrier/ Family psychologist learns and teaches about suicide risk and prevention Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:13:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Anthony Pisani http://commitmenttoliving.com/2008/10/21/description-of-golden-gate-bridge-barrier/#comment-5628 Anthony Pisani Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:47:11 +0000 http://riskassessment.wordpress.com/?p=131#comment-5628 Therapy: Good question, and a common concern. Surprisingly, investigations about restricting means have consistently demonstrated that placing barriers on bridges and other means restriction strategies do not result in means substitution (person taking their lives by another means). It is counter-intuitive perhaps, but true. I'd direct you to the NY Times article I linked to a few weeks ago for further discussion of this: http://tinyurl.com/5cxr3z For clinicians the implications are profound. First, it means that we need to understand that, for a substantial proportion of people, suicidal crisis are transitory. They peak and then diminish. If we can help people hold on while at that peak, many will survive (and potentially thrive). Even for those who struggle with suicidal desires for many years, the desires will wax and wane and we need to be sensitive to that. Second, it demonstrates the ambivalence that is present in almost every case--including among those who make potentially lethal attempts. Kevin Hines (http://tinyurl.com/6evs3l) (and many other bridge jump survivors) have testified that the moment after taking a step off the bridge they thought "I don't want to die." Surprising for many people to learn that--was for me too. But the bottom line is that most people who are suicidal don't want to die, they just don't want to go on suffering. Thanks for your comment about this important issue. Therapy: Good question, and a common concern. Surprisingly, investigations about restricting means have consistently demonstrated that placing barriers on bridges and other means restriction strategies do not result in means substitution (person taking their lives by another means). It is counter-intuitive perhaps, but true. I’d direct you to the NY Times article I linked to a few weeks ago for further discussion of this: http://tinyurl.com/5cxr3z

For clinicians the implications are profound. First, it means that we need to understand that, for a substantial proportion of people, suicidal crisis are transitory. They peak and then diminish. If we can help people hold on while at that peak, many will survive (and potentially thrive). Even for those who struggle with suicidal desires for many years, the desires will wax and wane and we need to be sensitive to that. Second, it demonstrates the ambivalence that is present in almost every case–including among those who make potentially lethal attempts. Kevin Hines (http://tinyurl.com/6evs3l) (and many other bridge jump survivors) have testified that the moment after taking a step off the bridge they thought “I don’t want to die.” Surprising for many people to learn that–was for me too. But the bottom line is that most people who are suicidal don’t want to die, they just don’t want to go on suffering. Thanks for your comment about this important issue.

]]> By: Therapy http://commitmenttoliving.com/2008/10/21/description-of-golden-gate-bridge-barrier/#comment-5627 Therapy Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:00:28 +0000 http://riskassessment.wordpress.com/?p=131#comment-5627 Is this really going to work?? People who want to take their lives will do it some other way. I think it could be a waste of time and money. Is this really going to work?? People who want to take their lives will do it some other way. I think it could be a waste of time and money.

]]> By: Anthony Pisani http://commitmenttoliving.com/2008/10/21/description-of-golden-gate-bridge-barrier/#comment-5576 Anthony Pisani Thu, 23 Oct 2008 01:29:26 +0000 http://riskassessment.wordpress.com/?p=131#comment-5576 Marion P: It is unlikely that this will be done on every bridge, but more and more bridges do have barriers of some kind. From what I understand some bridges seem to attract more suicides than others, and these would obviously be the most important to protect. Thanks for your question. Marion P: It is unlikely that this will be done on every bridge, but more and more bridges do have barriers of some kind. From what I understand some bridges seem to attract more suicides than others, and these would obviously be the most important to protect. Thanks for your question.

]]> By: marion p http://commitmenttoliving.com/2008/10/21/description-of-golden-gate-bridge-barrier/#comment-5575 marion p Thu, 23 Oct 2008 01:21:03 +0000 http://riskassessment.wordpress.com/?p=131#comment-5575 Are they going to do this on every bridge that has a walking path? Are they going to do this on every bridge that has a walking path?

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