Common Language
Affected by suicide All those who may feel the impact of suicidal behaviors, including those bereaved by suicide, as well as community members and others. A term used to describe all mental disorders that are characterized by a prominent or persistent mood disturbance; disturbances can be in the direction of elevated expansive emotional states or, if in the opposite direction, depressed emotional states. These disorders include depressive disorders, bipolar disorders, mood disorders because of a medical condition, and substance-induced mood disorders. An unpleasant feeling of fear or apprehension accompanied by increased physiological arousal, defined according to clinically derived standard psychiatric diagnostic criteria. A state of mental/emotional being and/or choices and actions that affect wellness. Behavioral health problems include substance abuse or misuse, alcohol and drug addiction, serious psychological distress, suicide, and mental and substance use disorders. The term is also used to describe the service systems encompassing the promotion of emotional health; the prevention of mental and substance use disorders, substance use, and related problems; treatments and services for mental and substance use disorders; and recovery support. Family members, friends, and others affected by the suicide of a loved one (also referred to as survivors of suicide loss). Activities or programs that are in keeping with the best available evidence regarding what is effective. Bipolar disorders A mood disorder characterized by the presence or history of manic episodes usually, but not necessarily, alternating with depressive episodes. Bisexual An adjective that refers to individuals whose sexual orientation or identity involves sexual, physical, and/or romantic attraction to both men and women. Boundaried system A health care and community support system that provides behavioral and other health care services to a defined population (e.g., Henry Ford Health System). A group of individuals residing in the same locality or sharing a common interest. Comprehensive suicide prevention plans Plans that use a multifaceted approach to addressing the problem, for example, including interventions targeting biopsychosocial, social, and environmental factors. Comorbidity The co-occurrence of two or more disorders, such as depressive disorder and substance use disorder. Complicated grief Feelings of loss, following the death of a loved one, which are debilitating and do not improve even after time passes. These painful emotions are so long lasting and severe that those who are affected have trouble accepting the loss and moving on with their lives. Also referred to “traumatic grief ” or “prolonged grief.” Connectedness Closeness to an individual, group, or individuals within a specific organization; perceived caring by others; satisfaction with relationship to others; or feeling loved and wanted by others. Contagion A phenomenon whereby susceptible persons are influenced toward suicidal behavior through knowledge of another person’s suicidal acts. Culturally appropriate A set of values, behaviors, attitudes, and practices reflected in the work of an organization or program that enables it to be effective across cultures, including the ability of the program to honor and respect the beliefs, language, interpersonal styles, and behaviors of individuals and families receiving services. The integrated pattern of human behavior that includes thoughts, communication, actions, customs, beliefs, values, and institutions of a racial, ethnic, faith, or social group. Deliberate self-harm See suicidal self-directed violence. Depression A constellation of emotional, cognitive, and somatic signs and symptoms, including sustained sad mood or lack of pleasure. Epidemiology The study of statistics and trends in health and disease across communities. Evaluation The systematic investigation of the value and impact of an intervention or program. Evidence-based programs Programs that have undergone scientific evaluation and have proven to be effective. Gatekeepers Those individuals in a community who have face-to-face contact with large numbers of community members as part of their usual routine. They may be trained to identify persons at risk of suicide and refer them to treatment or supporting services as appropriate. Examples include clergy, first responders, pharmacists, caregivers, and those employed in institutional settings, such as schools, prisons, and the military. Gay An adjective that refers to persons whose sexual orientation or identity involves sexual, physical, and/or romantic attraction to individuals of the same sex. Gender identity An individual’s deeply-rooted internal sense of gender. For most individuals, the sex assigned to them at birth aligns with their gender identity. This is not true for some others, however, who identify as transgender. Goal A broad and high-level statement of general purpose to guide planning on an issue; it focuses on the end result of the work. The complete state of physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Health and safety officials Law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and outreach workers in community health programs. Healthy People 2020 The national prevention initiative that identifies opportunities to improve the health of all Americans, with specific and measurable objectives to be met by 2020. Indicated intervention Intervention designed for individuals at high risk for a condition or disorder or for those who have already exhibited the condition or disorder. Intervention A strategy or approach that is intended to prevent an outcome or to alter the course of an existing condition (such as providing lithium for bipolar disorders, educating providers about suicide prevention, or reducing access to lethal means among individuals with suicide risk). Lesbian An adjective that refers to women whose sexual orientation or identity involves sexual, physical, and/or romantic attraction to other women. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender A blanket term that refers to those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Ligature points Elements in an environment that could be used to support a noose or other strangulation devices (especially, for a suicide attempt). Means The instrument or object used to carry out a self-destructive act (e.g., chemicals, medications, illicit drugs). Means restriction Techniques, policies, and procedures designed to reduce access or availability to means and methods of deliberate self-harm. Methods Actions or techniques that result in an individual inflicting self-directed injurious behavior (e.g., overdose). Mental disorder A diagnosable illness characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior (or some combination thereof) associated with distress that significantly interferes with an individual’s cognitive, emotional, or social abilities; often used interchangeably with mental illness. Mental health The capacity of individuals to interact with one another and the environment in ways that promote subjective well-being, optimal development, and use of mental abilities (cognitive, affective, and relational). Mental health services Health services that are specifically designed for the care and treatment of persons with mental health problems, including mental illness. Mental health services include hospitals and other 24-hour services, intensive community services, ambulatory or outpatient services, medical management, case management, intensive psychosocial rehabilitation services, and other intensive outreach approaches to the care of individuals with severe disorders. Mental illness See mental disorder. Minority stress The high levels of chronic stress experienced by members of minority populations (including lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender populations) as a result of the prejudice and discrimination they experience from the dominant group in society. Mood disorders A term used to describe all mental disorders that are characterized by a prominent or persistent mood disturbance; disturbances can be in the direction of elevated expansive emotional states or, if in the opposite direction, depressed emotional states. These disorders include depressive disorders, bipolar disorders, mood disorders because of a medical condition, and substance-induced mood disorders. Morbidity The relative frequency of illness or injury, or the illness or injury rate, in a community or population. Mortality The relative frequency of death, or the death rate, in a community or population. Nonsuicidal self-injury Self-injury with no suicidal intent. Same as nonsuicidal self-directed violence (see Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveillance definitions box at the end of this appendix). Objective A specific and measurable statement that clearly identifies what is to be achieved in a plan; it narrows a goal by specifying who, what, when, and where or clarifies by how much, how many, or how often. Older adults Persons aged 60 or more years. Outcome A measurable change in the health of an individual or group of individuals that is attributable to an intervention. Personality disorders A class of mental disorders characterized by deeply ingrained, often inflexible, maladaptive patterns of relating, perceiving, and thinking of sufficient severity to cause either impairment in functioning or distress. Postvention Response to and care for individuals affected in the aftermath of a suicide attempt or suicide death. A strategy or approach that reduces the likelihood of risk of onset or delays the onset of adverse health problems, or reduces the harm resulting from conditions or behaviors. Protective factors Factors that make it less likely that individuals will develop a disorder. Protective factors may encompass biological, psychological, or social factors in the individual, family, and environment. Psychiatric disorder See mental disorder. Psychiatry The medical science that deals with the origin, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders. Psychology The science concerned with the individual behavior of humans, including mental and physiological processes related to behavior. Rate The number per unit of the population with a particular characteristic, for a given unit of time. Resilience Capacities within a person that promote positive outcomes, such as mental health and well- being, and provide protection from factors that might otherwise place that person at risk for adverse health outcomes. Risk factors Factors that make it more likely that individuals will develop a disorder. Risk factors may encompass biological, psychological, or social factors in the individual, family, and environment. Root cause analysis Root cause analysis (RCA) is a step-by-step method that leads to the discovery of a fault’s first or root cause. RCA uses a systematic approach to identify the progression of actions and consequences that led to an undesired event. In the context of suicide prevention, an RCA investigation means tracing the cause and effect trail from a suicide attempt or death back to the root cause. Safety plan Written list of warning signs, coping responses, and support sources that an individual may use to avert or manage a suicide crisis. Screening Administration of an assessment tool to identify persons in need of more indepth evaluation or treatment. Screening tools Instruments and techniques (e.g., questionnaires, check lists, self-assessment forms) used to evaluate individuals for increased risk of certain health problems. Selective intervention Intervention targeted to subgroups of the population whose risk of developing a health problem is significantly higher than average. Self-directed violence (same as self-injurious behavior) Behavior that is self-directed and deliberately results in injury or the potential for injury to oneself. Self-directed violence can be categorized as either nonsuicidal or suicidal. Self-inflicted injuries Injuries caused by suicidal and nonsuicidal behaviors such as self-mutilation. An individual’s sexual, physical, and/or romantic attraction to men, women, both, or neither. Social support Assistance that may include companionship, emotional backing, cognitive guidance, material aid, and special services. Specialty treatment centers (e.g., mental health, substance abuse) Health facilities where the personnel and resources focus on specific aspects of psychological or behavioral well-being. Stakeholders Entities including organizations, groups, and individuals that are affected by and contribute to decisions, consultations, and policies. A maladaptive pattern of substance use manifested by recurrent and significant adverse consequences related to repeated use; includes maladaptive use of legal substances such as alcohol; prescription drugs such as analgesics, sedatives, tranquilizers, and stimulants; and illicit drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, inhalants, hallucinogens, and heroin. Suicidal behaviors Behaviors related to suicide, including preparatory acts, as well as suicide attempts and deaths. Suicidal self-directed violence Behavior that is self-directed and deliberately results in injury or the potential for injury to oneself. There is evidence, whether implicit or explicit, of suicidal intent. Suicidal ideation Thoughts of engaging in suicide-related behavior. Suicidal intent There is evidence (explicit and/or implicit) that at the time of injury the individual intended to kill him or herself or wished to die and that the individual understood the probable consequences of his or her actions. Suicidal plan A thought regarding a self-initiated action that facilitates self-harm behavior or a suicide attempt; often including an organized manner of engaging in suicidal behavior such as a description of a time frame and method. Death caused by self-directed injurious behavior with any intent to die as a result of the behavior. Suicide attempt A nonfatal self-directed potentially injurious behavior with any intent to die as a result of the behavior. A suicide attempt may or may not result in injury. Acts and/or preparation toward making a suicide attempt, suicide attempts, and deaths by suicide. Suicide crisis A suicide crisis, suicidal crisis, or potential suicide, is a situation in which a person is attempting to kill him or herself or is seriously contemplating or planning to do so. It is considered a medical emergency, requiring immediate suicide intervention and emergency medical treatment. Suicide attempt survivors Individuals who have survived a prior suicide attempt. Suicide loss survivors See bereaved by suicide. Surveillance The ongoing, systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of health data with timely dissemination of findings. Transgender Someone whose gender identity or expression is different from the sex that was assigned to them at birth. Some transgender individuals take steps to physically and/or legally transition from one sex to another. Unintentional Term used for an injury that is unplanned; in many settings, these are termed accidental injuries. Universal intervention Intervention targeted to a defined
population, regardless of risk (this could be an entire
school, for example, and not the general population, per
se).
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