Young Mentioned Suicide to Therapist

I don't really know what to think, being a young psychiatrist-hopeful. On one hand I'm initially pissed that confidentiality was thrown to the wind and we all know what Vince disclosed with his therapist. On the other hand I'd be interested to know what moral/legal obligations there might be for a psychiatrist to save a life.

Still even then, if the therapist was the one who helped initiate team-lead efforts to find him, they could have been less specific has to what the reasoning was. I feel really bad for Vince. That's a level of trust, comfort, and safety that he'll never get back.

 

He's gotta stop playing football right now and get the help he needs. This is serious as serious can be. I hope he can work this out and be able to play again if he wants, or if not find some form of happiness.

 

I was wondering the same thing, where does patient confidentiality come in to play?
I guess if they have suicidal thoughts and then disappear, the psychologist has a responsibility to report this news to the police so they take the missing person report seriously. But it still should not go public. Someone overstepped the line here.

 

I think confidentiality gets thrown out the window when something as drastic as suicide is mentioned. At that point in time, you have to mention it, because you're client clearly has issues beyond what you can help. I'd also feel like I'd have a moral obligation to do it, cause if you know that someone is suicidal, wouldn't you want to do whatever you could to help? And quite frankly, if that means breaking client confidentiality, so be it.

 

well suicide disclosure and client confidentiality are both rules created by the therapist. It wouldn't make sense to break the rules to enforce the rules. What I mean is that the formal structure has to be set so that therapist behavior is regulated and consistent.

 

agreed, but to break it to the press?? that's uncalled for and attention whoring to a disgusting degree IMO.
wether it was the police or therapist who released such information.
if the coach of the team was told it too, well really it's none of his business neither, this isn't a high school kid.

 

That's some scary stuff. I hope everything turns out alright. He's played like a turd though.