hardsuicide assessmentSAD PERSONSclinical judgmentacetaminophen overdoserisk assessment limitationsmedical emergency
A 19-year-old female college student is brought to the university counseling center by her resident advisor after posting a social media message that friends interpreted as a suicide note. She presents as tearful and withdrawn. When assessed, she reports she took 15 acetaminophen tablets 3 hours ago after a breakup with her girlfriend, then told her roommate, who called the RA. She states she now regrets the overdose and does not want to die. A trainee administers the SAD PERSONS scale and obtains the following: Sex (female = 0), Age 19 (= 0), Depression (uncertain = 0), Previous attempt (no = 0), Ethanol abuse (no = 0), Rational thinking loss (no = 0), Social supports (has friends = 0), Organized plan (no current plan = 0), No spouse (= 1), Sickness (no = 0), for a total score of 1, indicating low risk with outpatient follow-up recommended. The trainee plans to schedule an outpatient appointment for next week and send the student back to her dormitory.