Treatment of Intrusive Suicidal Imagery Using Eye Movements

Jaël S. van Bentum, Marit Sijbrandij, Marcus J. H. Huibers, Annemiek Huisman, Arnoud Arntz, Emily A. Holmes and Ad J. F. M. Kerkhof
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Jaël S. van Bentum: Department of Clinical Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU), van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Marit Sijbrandij: Department of Clinical Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU), van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Marcus J. H. Huibers: Department of Clinical Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU), van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Annemiek Huisman: Department of Clinical Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU), van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Arnoud Arntz: Department of Clinical Psychology, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 129, 1018 WS Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Emily A. Holmes: Division of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
Ad J. F. M. Kerkhof: Department of Clinical Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU), van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 7, 1-14

Abstract: Suicide and suicidal behavior are major public health concerns, and affect 3–9% of the population worldwide. Despite increased efforts for national suicide prevention strategies, there are still few effective interventions available for reducing suicide risk. In this article, we describe various theoretical approaches for suicide ideation and behavior, and propose to examine the possible effectiveness of a new and innovative preventive strategy. A model of suicidal intrusion (mental imagery related to suicide, also referred to as suicidal flash-forwards) is presented describing one of the assumed mechanisms in the etiology of suicide and the mechanism of therapeutic change. We provide a brief rationale for an Eye Movement Dual Task (EMDT) treatment for suicidal intrusions, describing techniques that can be used to target these suicidal mental images and thoughts to reduce overall behavior. Based on the available empirical evidence for the mechanisms of suicidal intrusions, this approach appears to be a promising new treatment to prevent suicidal behavior as it potentially targets one of the linking pins between suicidal ideation and suicidal actions.

Keywords: suicide; suicidal mental imagery; flash-forwards; intrusions; preventive intervention; eye movement dual task (EMDT) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:7:p:714-:d:103172

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