Posted by Dmitriy Y. on 1/21/16

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I was discharged from my local hospital's psychiatric unit
after a 10 day stay for psychosis. I come out and begin to
feel very depressed; I cry, self-esteem drops to the lowest
ever, hopeless, don't get out of bed, read suicide methods,
think frequently about suicide, etc. I told my therapist
about my depression but she didn't take it seriously and
told me it's just seasonal depression. The only thing she
cared about is whether I'd act on my thoughts. I told her no
because I wasn't feeling like I had the courage to do it.
When I saw the psychiatrist he asked me why I had the
thoughts and then told me to take myself to the hospital if
I feel l I will act. Well, that didn't happen because I
wanted to kill myself, not save myself. Why would I take
myself to the hospital in this state? Then one day I told my
therapist I had strong suicidal thoughts and all she does is
act silent and then tell me she won't be seeing me because
there isn't enough therapists. What the hell? So shortly
after, a couple weeks, I seriously attempt suicide but fail.
Then I attempt suicide again and almost die. The second one
left me in the hospital with severe muscle loss and pressure
injuries in many places of my body. I am now deformed and
have a permanent ulnar nerve damage which resulted in
atrophied left hand.

Do I have any basis to sue the practice my psychiatrist and
therapist are with, or not? I've had all the signs I was
very depressed and having told them I was reading suicide
methods could it not be more clear that I will attempt
suicide? I've had several recent hospitalizations for
psychosis and paranoid schizophrenia. Shouldn't the doctor
and/or therapist have conducted a comprehensive, humane, and
personal evaluation of suicidal risk for me?

Consider reading this too:
First, therapists tend to feel uncomfortable with the
subject; they find it difficult to explore and investigate
suicidal risk: "We don't want to hear about it. We discount
it. But any indication of risk or intention must be
addressed." Second, we must appreciate that each client is a
unique person: "Each person becomes suicidal in his or her
own framework. The person's point of view is crucial."
Third, we tend to forget the preventive factors: "Clinicians
run scared at the thought of suicide. They fail to recognize
the true resources."

Conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the patient and
his or her suicide risk. Ask about:
Consider hospitalizing at-risk patients. If you decide
against hospitalization, provide a comprehensive safety
plan. In the gun owner’s case, such a plan would include
arranging with the family to remove firearms. Implement
additional anti-suicide precautions, such as more-intensive
outpatient therapy or involving family members in treatment.
Document suicide risk assessment

Clinicians failed to prevent suicide attempt, 1/21/16, by Dmitriy Y..

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