My question wasn't aimed at you. You can't answer for him/her.
Hi, you seem confused about what suicidal means.
Here's a definition from Cleveland clinic. Hope it helps you understand ideation vs attempts etc. Also, a reminder that this group is all about respecting people's choices and a choice to try to recover is a valid, good choice. It doesn't mean the person "doesn't belong here" or "isn't really suicidal".
From Cleveland clinic, with love lol:
"Suicidal ideation, or suicidal thoughts, is when you think about, consider or feel preoccupied with the idea of
death and
suicide. These thoughts may come and go or be extremely distracting. You might dwell on thoughts of suicide to the point where you make a plan to take your own life.
It's difficult to simply define what suicidal ideation looks like because it's different for each person. For example, you might fall asleep to the thought of not waking up in the morning. Or you might see a fast-moving vehicle and think about jumping out in front of it. As such, these thoughts can range in severity and intensity.
While having a thought isn't the same as physically attempting suicide, it can still impact your mental health and lead to suicidal behaviors or self-harm. "