Richard Juman Suicide

There is something profoundly disturbing about learning that I have consistently underestimated the extent to which suicide will be part of my professional experience in the mental health field. The fact that twenty-five percent of all providers will be effected by the loss of a client in this manner is both terrifying and humbling for someone whose personal life has been touched by suicide. At the beginning of my education in psychology, I remember the fundamental information disseminated about people with addiction disorders was that they were statistically more likely to attempt suicide than other populations. This fact was expressed in a cool, dismissive and clinical manner that invited neither contemplation nor discussion. To me, the insinuation had always seemed to be that if one made wise career choices, the “suicidal client” might somehow remain relegated to mental health mythology and not part of one’s professional reality.

Richard Juman, I was genuinely surprised to learn that gambling addiction was the addictive behavior associated with the highest rate of suicide. For quite some time I had mistakenly believed that the negative physical impact caused by substance abuse and eating disorders were correlated with the poorest clinical outcomes. Although I did know that people in treatment are at increased risk of experiencing suicidal ideation, hearing this information reiterated remains disarming. When someone finally enters treatment, friends and family are often inclined to let down their guard, embrace a new sense of optimism, and redirect attention to other areas of their lives that they have neglected during the period of crisis. It is integral that as members of a treatment team, we remind significant people in the client’s life that the journey to recovery has just begun and that their love and support remain a critical component of the