Cultivating a positive mindset
Cultivating a positive mindset has been explored as a potential alternative to traditional suicide prevention methods. This approach focuses on enhancing positive psychological constructs and resilience, which may reduce suicidal ideation and behavior.
Positive Psychology Interventions
Positive psychology interventions, such as gratitude exercises and focusing on personal strengths, have shown feasibility and short-term benefits in reducing hopelessness and enhancing optimism among suicidal inpatients. These exercises are generally well-received and can lead to moderate improvements in clinically relevant outcomes (Celano et al., 2016; Huffman et al., 2014).
The Skills to Enhance Positivity (STEP) program, which includes mindfulness meditation and gratitude practices, aims to increase positive affect and reduce suicidal ideation in adolescents. Preliminary results suggest that focusing on positive experiences can decrease suicidal events and improve mood (Yen et al., 2023).
Role of Positive Mental Health
Positive mental health (PMH) has been identified as a resilience factor that can buffer against suicide ideation. It interacts with stressful life events, reducing the likelihood of suicide ideation in individuals with high levels of PMH (Teismann, Brailovskaia and Margraf, 2019; Brailovskaia, Teismann and Margraf, 2020; Siegmann et al., 2019).
Positive affect, a component of PMH, mediates the relationship between PMH and reduced suicide ideation, suggesting that enhancing positive emotions can be protective against suicidal thoughts (Teismann, Brailovskaia and Margraf, 2019).
Impact of Positive Peer Influence
Positive-themed suicide prevention messages delivered by adolescent peer leaders can enhance coping attitudes and perceptions of adult support among classmates. This approach is particularly beneficial for students with a history of suicidal ideation, as it promotes positive coping mechanisms and social support (Petrova et al., 2015).
Fixed Mindsets and Suicidality
Fixed mindsets, or the belief in the non-malleability of personal attributes, are associated with increased suicidal ideation. Interventions that promote a growth mindset may reduce suicidality by fostering hope and resilience (Zhu and Wong, 2021).
In conclusion, cultivating a positive mindset through various interventions can serve as a promising alternative to traditional suicide prevention strategies. By enhancing positive psychological constructs and resilience, these approaches may effectively reduce suicidal ideation and behavior. Further research is needed to explore the long-term efficacy and implementation of these interventions in diverse populations.
References
Celano, C., Beale, E., Mastromauro, C., Stewart, J., Millstein, R., Auerbach, R., Bedoya, C., & Huffman, J., 2016. Psychological interventions to reduce suicidality in high-risk patients with major depression: a randomized controlled trial. Psychological Medicine, 47, pp. 810 – 821. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291716002798
Petrova, M., Wyman, P., Schmeelk-Cone, K., & Pisani, A., 2015. Positive-Themed Suicide Prevention Messages Delivered by Adolescent Peer Leaders: Proximal Impact on Classmates’ Coping Attitudes and Perceptions of Adult Support.. Suicide & life-threatening behavior, 45 6, pp. 651-63. https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12156
Yen, S., Suazo, N., Doerr, J., Macrynikola, N., Villarreal, L., Sodano, S., O’Brien, K., Wolff, J., Breault, C., Gibb, B., Elwy, R., Kahler, C., Ranney, M., Jones, R., & Spirito, A., 2023. Skills to Enhance Positivity in adolescents at risk for suicide: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial. PLOS ONE, 18. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0287285
Teismann, T., Brailovskaia, J., & Margraf, J., 2019. Positive mental health, positive affect and suicide ideation. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology : IJCHP, 19, pp. 165 – 169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijchp.2019.02.003
Zhu, S., & Wong, P., 2021. What matters for adolescent suicidality: Depressive symptoms or fixed mindsets? Examination of cross‐sectional and longitudinal associations between fixed mindsets and suicidal ideation. Suicide & Life-Threatening Behavior, 52, pp. 932 – 942. https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12891
Huffman, J., Dubois, C., Healy, B., Boehm, J., Kashdan, T., Celano, C., Denninger, J., & Lyubomirsky, S., 2014. Feasibility and utility of positive psychology exercises for suicidal inpatients.. General hospital psychiatry, 36 1, pp. 88-94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2013.10.006
Brailovskaia, J., Teismann, T., & Margraf, J., 2020. Positive Mental Health, Stressful Life Events, and Suicide Ideation.. Crisis, pp. 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1027/0227-5910/a000652
Siegmann, P., Willutzki, U., Fritsch, N., Nyhuis, P., Wolter, M., & Teismann, T., 2019. Positive mental health as a moderator of the association between risk factors and suicide ideation/behavior in psychiatric inpatients. Psychiatry Research, 273, pp. 678-684. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2019.01.091
