Suicidal Ideation Treatment

Learn more about suicidal ideation treatment at San Juan Capestrano Hospital in Puerto Rico

When a person is experiencing ideations of suicide, it typically means that that individual is suffering from a form of mental illness. At San Juan Capestrano Hospital, we understand how this kind of maladaptive thinking can affect a person’s life and have developed superior programming that addresses the core causes of suicidal ideations. Those who experience the often all-consuming thoughts about death and dying typically have a hard time adhering to roles and responsibilities when these ideations occur regularly. And while the presence of such thoughts do not directly infer that a person will make an attempt to end his or her own life, it does, however, put an individual at a greater risk for eventually following through on an intent to commit suicide. The comprehensive care offered at San Juan Capestrano Hospital is specially designed to help improve the lives of sufferers of suicidal ideations by offering patients the opportunity to understand why these thoughts are happening, how to combat them with healthy methods for coping, and when it is necessary to talk to someone should these thoughts begin again. We strive to help each and every patient realize that it is possible to be freed from the crippling effects of ongoing thoughts about death and dying so that a healthy, happy life can be attained by all who come to us for care.

Since its inception in 1988, San Juan Capestrano Hospital, a 172-bed short-stay hospital, has been the foremost provider of mental health treatment on the main island of Puerto Rico. With services available for the care of several mental health conditions and chemical dependency concerns, adolescents, adults, and senior adults can receive superior treatment for these issues in a safe environment that is conducive to true healing and recovery. Our caring and compassionate staff, which is comprised of numerous qualified mental health professionals, addiction specialists, and experienced medical personnel, facilitates services within each program with the understanding that each patient has unique needs and strengths. We pride ourselves in being able to offer the highest quality of individualized care that allows each patient to return to his or her respective community with an improved sense of emotional and physical wellbeing. If you, a friend, or loved one is struggling with symptoms synonymous with a mental illness, such as suicidal ideation, or a substance abuse problem, look no further that San Juan Capestrano Hospital. Our comprehensive and invaluable treatment is the solution to even the most plaguing of mental health concerns.

Helping a loved one get treatment for suicidal ideation

The presence of suicidal ideations can affect a person’s relationships with others, ability to perform well in school, capability to carry out tasks at work, and cause an individual to experience an overall decline in his or her own mental wellbeing. And because ideations of suicide are not easily recognizable as they occur in the minds of sufferers, it is necessary for those closest to the person to pay special attention if the individual they care for talks about his or her death or behaves in a manner that suggests suicide is occupying his or her thought processes. When it is suspected that a person is struggling with suicidal ideations, there are some helping things that friends and loved ones can do for him or her:

• Talk with your loved one about how he or she has been feeling. Thoughts of suicide often indicate that an individual is battling a mental illness, so it is imperative to take note if it appears that your friend or family member is suffering from such illnesses as depression or anxiety. These disorders can cause feelings of hopelessness, worry, or sadness and lead to the onset of suicidal ideations.
• Explore your loved one’s openness for seeking treatment and convey the importance of talking to a professional who is trained to care for those who have ongoing thoughts about death.
• Research viable options for care that meet your loved one’s specific needs and present your findings to your loved one.
• Be empathic towards your loved one as the mental illness that could be causing suicidal ideations could also be causing other inner turmoil that is equally, if not more, distressing.
• Create a safety plan with your loved one if he or she is reaching the point of seriously considering suicide. A safety plan can include a key word that your loved one can say to you that suggests he or she is having a hard time and needs to talk or formulate a strategy for handling intense suicidal ideations, such as seeking emergency mental healthcare at a hospital.

Lastly, try to remain supportive of your loved one and accompany him or her when it is decided that an evaluation for mental health services is needed. Moreover, attempt to be part of your loved one’s care as ongoing and adequate support from friends and loved ones has been proven to help those in psychiatric treatment have more favorable treatment outcomes.

Why consider treatment for suicidal ideation at San Juan Capestrano Hospital in Puerto Rico

There are many advantages to receiving mental health treatment when a person is suffering from suicidal ideations. Firstly, if an individual is battling a mental health condition that is causing these types of thoughts, care can be implemented to help cease ongoing contemplations of death. Additionally, psychiatric services can prevent a number of detrimental and life-threatening effects from occurring in the future, if care is afforded early on. There are numerous options for treatment that can help people who are grappling with suicidal ideations; treatment that has proven to be life-saving for many people of all ages.

Inpatient treatment, for example, is one such option that poses several benefits for individuals who have suicidal thoughts. Within this type of treatment, patients are supervised 24 hours a day by mental health professionals who can offer valuable support and help sufferers process their thoughts in a healthy manner that will not exacerbate these ideations. Furthermore, if an individual is battling a mental illness that is causing suicidal ideations to occur, these professionals can offer therapeutic interventions that can treat any existing disorder. Psychiatrists are also on hand in inpatient care so that medication needs can be assessed and ultimately monitored so as to ensure the effectiveness of any prescribed medications. It is in an inpatient program that people who live with intrusive ideations of suicide can come to realize that life does not have to include overwhelming thoughts about one’s own demise.

Types of suicidal ideation treatment offered at San Juan Capestrano Hospital in Puerto Rico

At San Juan Capestrano Hospital, we wholeheartedly ascribe to the notion that each patient should have individualized treatment that meets his or her every need. Because of this belief, we afford each patient who entrusts us with his or her care with individually tailored plans for treatment that are distinct to the adolescents, adults, and senior adults who come to San Juan Capestrano Hospital for mental health services. These plans detail the specific courses of treatment that patients will engage in and include aftercare recommendations as formulated by our staff so that every patient experiences a full continuum of care. The planning of treatment begins during the time of assessment and can be altered should additional concerns arise during the course of treatment at our hospital.

In order to meet the varying needs of people suffering from mental health disorders and/or substance use concerns, San Juan Capestrano Hospital is pleased to provide different levels of care and specialized programming options. Our hospital features separate adult and adolescent inpatient programs that treat a myriad of mental health conditions, such as those that include suicidal ideations as a symptom, and chemical dependency concerns, as well as adult substance abuse services that are designed to care for even the most serious and long-standing of addictions. The level of care most appropriate for a patient is decided upon during the initial psychiatric evaluation, wherein a patient’s needs are assessed; a physical examination is conducted, and a mental status assessment is administered in order to determine which program will produce the most favorable treatment outcomes for a given patient.

Once admitted to one of our programs, patients have the ability to partake in a number of treatment methods. These methods are rooted in evidence-based principles and techniques, including cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and the 12-step model. The following methods for care are the ones primarily used at San Juan Capestrano Hospital and are implemented so that patients can find relief from concerns, such as those that cause and result from ideations of suicide:

Medical detoxification: For those that are battling a chemical dependency problem or poly substance use concerns, San Juan Capestrano Hospital offers medically supervised detoxification services that are aimed to help adults, ages 18 and older, withdraw from substances in the most effective and safest manner possible. These services are monitored by medical professionals who have experience in making withdrawal comfortable so that patients can partake in therapeutic interventions with addiction specialists who can help springboard them towards lasting healing and recovery from addiction.

Medication management: For some individuals, psychotropic medications can be of great assistance in alleviating the symptoms of many mental illnesses, including those of which suicidal ideation is often symptomatic. When this is the case, our qualified psychiatrists determine each patient’s need for medication, can prescribe medication(s), and will monitor any pharmaceutical interventions that become part of a patient’s treatment plan. These services are in place so that every patient has the ability to receive medication if it is deemed necessary for a patient’s care.

Individual therapy: All patients who take part in our inpatient programming engage in individual therapy sessions four times per week. Individual therapy is a treatment method used so that a patient can process emotions and thoughts on a one-on-one basis with a member of our staff. For example, if a patient is struggling with ideations of suicide, he or she can discuss his or her progress in overcoming these thoughts and work to combat maladaptive thought processes with individual attention.

Group therapy: San Juan Capestrano Hospital offers a number of group therapy opportunities that allow patients to find support in one another and hone skills that have been learned. Such sessions can be especially beneficial for individuals who are struggling with suicidal ideations as they can provide them with the sense of comfort that comes with knowing that they are not alone in their struggles. Some of the topics covered in these groups include techniques for managing stress, improving communication, learning and adapting healthy coping methods, bettering self-esteem, dealing with grief and loss, and persevering through trauma. These groups are offered several times per week to maximize the benefits of treatment offered in a group setting.    

Family therapy: Family therapy is offered as a method of treatment during inpatient programming so that our patients can receive ample support from the people who care for them most. During family therapy sessions, patients and their loved ones can work through conflicts and improve communication so as to heal and better familial relationships through the implementation of skills that can service a family unit well for a lifetime.

We also include a number of other therapeutic interventions as a way to wholly treat the individuals who come to our hospital for care. Especially for those who are battling ideations of suicide and require additional support and/or resources, we supply the following interventions and group topics as part of our treatment; these interventions have proven effectiveness in helping our patients learn to manage stress and turmoil while gaining the tools needed to successfully manage debilitating symptoms and other concerns:   

• Pilates
• Occupational therapy
• Infection control
• Relaxation techniques
• Psychoeducation
• Recreational therapy
• Canine therapy
• Anger management
• Medical issues management
• Crisis management
• Marijuana Anonymous
• Alcoholics Anonymous

Continuing care and levels of treatment for suicidal ideation

We strive to provide the most comprehensive services that embody the highest quality of care possible. To fulfill this goal, we begin discharge planning at the time of admissions and feature a number of continuing care options at varying levels of treatment so that each and every one of our patient’s needs can be treated once a higher level of care is no longer required.

San Juan Capestrano Hospital offers partial hospitalization programs for both adolescents and adults. The adolescent program is catered to youth between the ages of 13 and 17 years old who are struggling with mental health concerns. While in this program, young people partake in a number of therapies and are able to return home at the end of the day to be with their loved ones. The adult program is similarly structured and also treats a myriad of mental health conditions with group therapy being the primary method for care.

Our hospital also features an adult substance abuse intensive outpatient program for those aged 18 and older. This program is designed to continue the recovery process and help patients maintain sobriety after completing inpatient services. The groups available in this program are facilitated in stages so that patients can then practice the tools and skills learned in this program while living in their respective communities.

Lastly, San Juan Capestrano Hospital provides outpatient services at eleven different locations on the island, including San Juan, Hatillo, Mayagüez, Caguas, Humanao, Manatí, Condado, Carolina, Ponce, Bayamón, and Guaynabo. Outpatient care allows patients to process feelings and thoughts with a mental health professional on a weekly basis.

Whatever your mental healthcare needs, the staff at San Juan Capestrano Hospital is devoted to helping you or a loved one overcome mental health issues or substance abuse concerns. We will put forth every effort to ensure that healing and lasting recovery from suicidal ideations and the disorders that can cause them are achievable for each person who comes to us for care.