title: Shadows from the past: the situated meaning of being suicidal among depressed older people living in the community.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most depressed older people in a suicidal state have mixed feelings, where the wish to live and the wish to die wage a battle.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore and describe depressed older people's experiences of being suicidal and their search for meaning.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected from 29 participants resident in the Rogaland and Vestfold districts of Norway, by means of individual interviews, after which a thematic analysis was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the participants in this study, the lived experiences of the situated meaning of survival after being suicidal comprised a main theme - "shadows from the past" - and two themes - "feeling that something inside is broken" and "a struggle to catch the light."
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mental health-care professionals might be able to reduce the risk of suicide and perturbation by helping depressed older people to explore, resolve, and ultimately come to terms with their unresolved historical issues. Additional valuable strategies in primary care settings include encountering patients frequently, monitoring adherence to care plans, and providing support to address the source of emotional pain and distress.
authors.affiliation: <location>Centre for Women's, Family and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Buskerud and Vestfold University College, Kongsberg, Norway</location>
authors.forename: Anne Lise
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Holm
authors.affiliation: <location>Centre for Women's, Family and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Buskerud and Vestfold University College, Kongsberg, Norway</location>
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lyberg
authors.affiliation: <location>Centre for Women's, Family and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Buskerud and Vestfold University College, Kongsberg, Norway</location>
authors.forename: Ingela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Berggren
authors.affiliation: <location>School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Canada</location> <location>School of Nursing, University of Coimbra, Portugal</location> <location>Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, Malta</location>
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cutcliffe
authors.affiliation: <location>Centre for Women's, Family and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Buskerud and Vestfold University College, Kongsberg, Norway</location>
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Severinsson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D004243:Divorce; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D011320:Primary Health Care; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D017805:Widowhood
keywords: depression; experiences; older people; situated meaning; suicidal