Discussion active suicidal thoughts 💭

[dinosavr]

My therapist mentioned today that she absolutely has to report it to my psychiatrist or call the ambulance and have me admitted to the psych ward is if I told her I had active suicidal thoughts. She didn't actually ask me but if she did, I don't know what would be the answer.
Honestly, I'm not sure what ACTIVE suicidal thoughts are and I'm not sure if in my case they are active at the moment or if they are already gone.

What do you think? I'd appreciate some actual examples in the comments

 

[EvisceratedJester]

Active suicidal thoughts refer to when you are actively planning to end your own life.

You read stuff about them here. https://saltlakebehavioralhealth.co...between-passive-and-active-suicidal-thoughts/

 

[Praestat_Mori]

I think it's not easy to draw an exact line between passive and active suicidal thoughts. I would say they are definitely active when you already have a method at hand and only need to proceed with it. Also active would be to acquire stuff for a method with the intention to use it asap.

 

[cet]

this could be helpful (though it isn't scientific, it is quite accurate)

 

[dinosavr]

I think it's not easy to draw an exact line between passive and active suicidal thoughts. I would say they are definitely active when you already have a method at hand and only need to proceed with it. Also active would be to acquire stuff for a method with the intention to use it asap.

So I shouldn't worry about my thoughts being active if I have SN but I'm not planning to use it in the next couple of weeks/months, right?

 

[Eudaimonic]

I've always conceptualized it as "passive refers to a desire to die, but not to kill oneself" and "active refers to a desire to kill oneself, and that one would do so if they had access to the means."
I'm not sure how accurate that is, though. The definition appears to sometimes include planning, and other times it does not.
Is a desire to kill oneself, absent of planning (not just research, but realistic planning), active suicidality or passive suicidality?

 

[Praestat_Mori]

So I shouldn't worry about my thoughts being active if I have SN but I'm not planning to use it in the next couple of weeks/months, right?

Whether suicidal thoughts really bother and /or worry u or not is sth that only you can know. When u think u are very serious with an attempt (maybe there could an impulsive trigger?) and you don't want to die then consider seeking help. I mean idk what's actually causing you suicidal thoughts and what could trigger the attempt.

 

[painoflife]

I think for me the difference would be:
Passive - I want to kill myself
Active - I am going to kill myself at 10pm tonight using x method which I have available to me

 

[Redleaf1992]

Power of chatgpt lol:

Active suicidal ideation involves thoughts or plans of actively taking one's own life, such as thinking about methods or making specific plans to carry out suicide. Passive suicidal ideation, on the other hand, involves thoughts of death or dying without a specific plan or intent to act on those thoughts. It may involve wishing to be dead or thinking that life is not worth living, but without actively planning or intending to commit suicide. Both types of ideation should be taken seriously and may require intervention or support.

I asked it to clarify what it's considered to be if you have a plan but no current intent (thinking of your sn):

If you have made a plan for suicide but don't currently have the intent to act on it, it falls under active suicidal ideation. The presence of a specific plan indicates active engagement in thinking about how to carry out suicide, even if there is no immediate intent to follow through with it.

Cont..

If you have purchased a substance like sodium nitrite with the intention of using it for suicide but don't have a specific plan or intent at the moment, it still raises concerns. This scenario would typically be considered active suicidal ideation because you have taken concrete steps toward self-harm, even though you may not have a detailed plan or immediate intent to act on it. It's crucial to seek help and support from a mental health professional or trusted individuals to address the underlying issues and ensure your safety.

I love chatgpt lol

 

[F@#$]

this could be helpful (though it isn't scientific, it is quite accurate)

I've never seen that before, think I'm about an 8.5 on that scale.

 

[willitpass]

As stated above, the line can be difficult to draw, especially when you're chronically suicidal as thinking about death just becomes baseline. However, how much you share with your therapist is really dependent on if you want the help and what degree of help you're comfortable receiving. If you aren't honest with your therapist, it will be harder to get full benefit from it. It's possible to dance around some things and lie, but that ultimately will stall your progress. If you are at a point where you would like help and truly feel that you have the potential to get better then you will have to fully disclose. If you don't believe you want to or are capable of getting better, then it is ultimately up to you to decide how much you are okay with telling her and how intense of treatment you wish to receive. That is a decision no one but you can make.