Pharmacological Strategies for Suicide Prevention Based on the Social Pain Model: A Scoping Review
Psych – August 05, 2022
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Many individuals seeking medical treatment after a suicide attempt find existing interventions insufficient. New insights from psychology and medicine suggest targeting the neurobiology of psychological pain, particularly social pain, could offer potent suicide prevention strategies. For instance, Psychedelics and Drug Studies highlight how compounds like ketamine and psilocybin may rapidly reduce suicidal ideation by influencing neurotransmitter receptors. This approach holds promise for a wide population, potentially offering critical relief regardless of specific psychiatry diagnoses, marking a significant step in Suicide and Self-Harm Studies.
Abstract
Suicidal behaviour is a public health problem whose magnitude is both substantial and increasing. Since many individuals seek medical treatment following a suicide attempt, strategies aimed at reducing further attempts in this population are a valid and feasible secondary prevention approach. An evaluation of the available evidence suggests that existing treatment approaches have a limited efficacy in this setting, highlighting the need for innovative approaches to suicide prevention. Existing research on the neurobiology of social pain has highlighted the importance of this phenomenon as a risk factor for suicide, and has also yielded several attractive targets for pharmacological strategies that could reduce suicidality in patients with suicidal ideation or a recent attempt. In this paper, the evidence related to these targets is synthesized and critically evaluated. The way in which social pain is related to the “anti-suicidal” properties of recently approved treatments, such as ketamine and psilocybin, is examined. Such strategies may be effective for the short-term reduction in suicidal ideation and behaviour, particularly in cases where social pain is identified as a contributory factor. These pharmacological approaches may be effective regardless of the presence or absence of a specific psychiatric diagnosis, but they require careful evaluation.