Suicidal Ideation Treatment in Fayetteville, AR

At Vantage Point, in Fayetteville, AR, we strive to meet the individual needs of every patient who walks through our doors. For over 35 years we have successfully served children, adolescents, adults, and seniors at our center suffering from suicidal ideation.

Learn More About Suicidal Ideation Treatment

Learn more about suicidal ideation treatment at Vantage Point Behavioral Health Hospital Fayetteville, AR

Suicidal thoughts and behaviors are far more common than most people let on – in fact, it’s been estimated that for every completed suicide, there are 11 non-fatal suicidal attempts. People who have depression and other types of mental illnesses often reach a point in which they are so despondent they consider ending their life. People who are experiencing suicidal ideations report feeling hopeless that things will change; that the future is a bleak, dark place. These suicidal thoughts may range from fleeting ideas that quickly pass to detailed plans about the suicide attempt. Some people design their suicide attempts to deliberately succeed while others design theirs to deliberately be found out or fail. If you’re feeling hopeless about the future, that death by suicide is your only way out, call 911 immediately – this is a medical emergency.

At Vantage Point of Northwest Arkansas, located in Fayetteville, we understand that having suicidal thoughts doesn’t make you a weak person; you’re simply in more emotional pain than you can handle. Our center’s serene, welcoming environment is the perfect place for you to confront the emotional pain you feel and begin working toward a future full of hope and happiness.

How to Help a Loved One

Helping a loved one get treatment for suicidal ideation

One of the most tragic aspects of a completed suicide is that it is entirely preventable. If you know the right signs and symptoms of a loved one considering suicide and know how to react, you may just save a life.

Signs a loved one or friend is considering suicide include:

  • Talking about suicide: “I wish I were dead”
  • Seeking out access to pills, guns, knives, or other lethal means
  • Unusual preoccupation with death
  • Hopelessness about the future
  • Self-loathing, self-hatred
  • Getting affairs in order and saying goodbye
  • Increased self-destructive behavior
  • Sudden sense of calm after extreme bouts of depression

Ways to help a suicidal person:

  • Ask outright: “Do you plan to die by suicide?”
  • Be sympathetic, non-judgmental, patient, calm, and accepting when your loved one talks about his or her feelings
  • Evaluate for immediate danger by asking the following questions. The higher the number that can be answered with a “yes,” the more grave the danger.
  1. Do you have a plan for suicide?
  2. Do you have what you need to complete the attempt?
  3. Do you know when you would do it?
  4. Do you intend to die by suicide?
  • Remove all lethal items from the person’s vicinity
  • Do NOT leave the person alone even as you remove the weapons
  • Call 911 immediately

Ways not to help a suicidal person:

  • Don’t argue with the suicidal person
  • Don’t offer trite platitudes
  • Don’t offer a lecture on the mortal sin of suicide
  • Don’t promise confidentiality or secrecy
  • Don’t give advice, offer ways to help, or make them feel they have to justify their feelings to you
  • Don’t blame yourself – you can’t fix someone else’s happiness

Why Consider Treatment

Why consider treatment for suicidal ideation at Vantage Point Behavioral Health Hospital Fayetteville, AR

If you’re struggling with suicidal thoughts, you may feel it’s the only way to end the pain you’re facing. You may have pushed away loved ones, withdrawing further and further into your pain – trying to shield them from the burden of your problems. You may have attempted suicide only to have the plan fail. You may feel no one can possibly understand what you’re going through and the pathetic reassurances from your loved ones may just make you angry. It’s time to stop the suicidal thoughts once and for all.

An inpatient center for those struggling with suicidal ideation is the ideal way for you to be protected and safe 24-hours a day, which can help you relax and learn to face some of the challenges in your life. A combination of therapeutic interventions and medication management can help get to the root of what’s causing your suicidal feelings and help you learn to heal. Entering an inpatient center for your mental health will allow you to escape the stress and pressure of your daily life and focus upon what matters most right now – getting better.

Our Philosophy

Vantage Point Behavioral Health Hospital philosophy and treatment benefits

At Vantage Point in Fayetteville, we’ve helped countless children, teens, adults, and older adults at our center who are struggling with feelings of suicide learn ways to deal with their emotional pain and put it squarely behind them. As we approach each client we meet as a unique person who has lived a unique life, we understand that treatment for suicidal thoughts is never a one-size-fits-most approach. Suicidal thoughts and behaviors always requires thorough care provided by a multidisciplinary treatment team that is designed for each client we treat at our center. At Vantage Point, we’re ready to help guide you on your journey toward recovery and heal the whole you – mind, body, and spirit.

Types of Treatment

Types of suicidal ideation treatment offered at Vantage Point Behavioral Health Hospital Fayetteville, AR

When you come to our center for treatment for your suicidal thoughts and behaviors, you’ll undergo a variety of evaluations that will help us to determine the best methods to assist in your healing. Our medical examination will help us determine if you’re struggling with any medical complications of previous suicide attempts or physical health problems. The psychiatric evaluation will allow us to determine the severity of your suicidal thoughts as well as the presence of any co-occurring mental health disorders such as bipolar disorder. Your treatment team will take the results of these assessments and work alongside you and your loved ones to create a plan of care for your stay at our center.

Medication may be used as a means to control any mental health disorders you may be struggling with such as schizophrenia, depression, or anxiety disorders. The exact types of medications will be based upon the mental health disorder and the findings of the treatment team. If you are placed on medication while at our center, you will be consistently monitored for efficacy and dosage will be changed accordingly.

Individual therapy can be incredibly helpful to help you better understand where the suicidal thoughts come from. You’ll work with your therapist to learn more about any co-occurring mental health disorders and ways that these may have impacted your life. You’ll also discuss ways you can combat these challenges and work toward building a healthier life.

Group therapy may be used as a part of your mental health treatment plan at our center as it allows you to work with others who are struggling with similar troubles. In group, you’ll address co-occurring disorders, importance of medication compliance, and triggers for suicidal thoughts.

Family therapy will help you and your family reconnect as suicidal thoughts and behaviors may have caused major shifts in the family dynamic. We’ll help your loved ones to better understand suicide, co-occurring mental health disorders, and ways in which they can help you as you recover. In addition, we’ll refer your loved ones to community resources to assist in their continued recovery.

As we aim to treat each person who comes to our center for suicidal thoughts in every way we can, we use experiential therapy programs to complement your mental health treatment. These may include:

  • Expressive therapy
  • Recreation
  • School-based programs (for children and adolescents)

Continuing Care

Continuing care and levels of treatment for suicidal ideation

As your time with at our center comes to a close, you’ll work closely with your mental health treatment team, the discharge planner, and your loved ones to create an aftercare plan that meets your needs. Some of our clients opt to join a residential program so they are able to spend more time in a similarly secure environment to focus upon their recovery. Others may step down into an intense outpatient program such as a partial hospitalization program (PHP) or an intensive outpatient program (IOP) which allows you to focus upon your recovery during the day while spending evenings at home with family and loved ones. Still, others may feel they’ve made enough progress at our center that they’re ready to discharge home with referrals to traditional outpatient therapy and community resources.

I had a great experience at this facility. I have been to one other facility in the past and I can really tell the difference. The process starts with a FREE assessment and it was done relatively quickly. The staff were empathetic and seemed to really care about helping me. Once I got on the unit I met with other staff who were equally helpful. I got to meet with my doctor and therapist while here and my stay was actually pretty comfortable. I was especially pleased with the beginning stages as I was desperate for help and I got it quickly. The hospital is open 24/7 and an assessment can be done without an appointment.

– A Former Resident