Understanding Suicidal Ideation Signs & Getting Help
Life can be difficult sometimes, and one may turn to suicidal ideation to cope. Suicidal ideation is a condition in which an individual experiences constant thoughts and ideas surrounding ending their lives through suicide. Suicidal ideation is considered a critical mental health issue.
| If you or someone you love is in crisis and either considering or planning suicide, please visit 988lifeline.org or call 988 immediately, or text TALK to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741. |
Key Takeaways
- Suicidal ideation means that someone is having consistent thoughts of suicide.
- Recognizing signs and symptoms of suicidal ideation is critical to keeping loved ones safe.
- There are clinical assessments that can identify someone’s suicide risk.
- Support services are available.
What Is Suicidal Ideation?
Individuals with suicidal ideation have a constant focus on death, suicide, and ending their own lives. If not addressed and treated, it can have a profound impact on the individual, their family members, and loved ones.
Passive Suicidal Ideation vs. Active Suicidal Ideation
Passive suicidal ideation is defined as non-specific thoughts surrounding suicide and wanting to die without the individual making actual suicide plans. When a person’s non-specific thoughts about suicide evolve into specific ideas and actual planning, the ideation changes from passive to active[1].
Suicidal ideation involves thoughts or contemplation of self-harm or suicide, while suicide is the act of intentionally ending one’s life. Both require medical attention. Immediate emergency assistance is essential if there’s an imminent risk of suicide.
Dr. Brindusa Vanta, MD
Recognizing Signs of Suicidal Ideation
While signs and symptoms of suicidal ideation may vary across different age groups and demographics, there are also universal signs shared by individuals of all ages and backgrounds. According to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, some common warning signs of suicidal ideation include:
Individuals with suicidal ideation may talk about:
- Fascination with death
- Feelings of hopelessness
- Feelings of guilt, shame, or being a burden to others
Behavioral changes may include:
- Withdrawing from friends or family
- Reckless behavior, such as more frequent use of drugs and alcohol
- Saying goodbye to loved ones
- Talking about wanting to die
- Sleeping more or less than they used to
- Giving away belongings
- Depression or anxiety[2]
How to Support Someone at Risk
If a friend or loved one of someone at risk for suicide suspects they are in immediate danger, it’s important to seek immediate assistance by calling 911. Stay with them, and remove any nearby dangers, such as sharp objects or medications.
If someone at risk for suicide is not in immediate danger, simple actions like checking in via phone or text can make a difference. Make sure they feel heard and know that they have support, and offer to help them research mental health resources. Even if you’re just spending time with them, you can help—organize plans with them to ensure they don’t stay isolated.
Diagnosing Suicidal Ideation
When diagnosing suicidal ideation, health professionals typically start with a thorough medical and psychiatric evaluation. The clinician will also ask questions about the patient’s mental health history and discuss any current symptoms and potential triggers contributing to their suicidal thoughts.
What Are Suicide Ideation Scales?
While specific assessment content can vary, suicidal ideation scales typically consist of a series of questions that help users evaluate essential psychological factors, including self-perception, feelings of hopelessness, and the patient’s overall life outlook[3].
Below are some common suicide ideation scales used in clinical settings.
Ask-Suicide Screening Questions (ASQ)
The Ask-Suicide Screening Questions tool is designed for quick assessments of individuals with early signs of suicidal ideation. The tool offers a simple format with straightforward questions suitable for both adults and children.
Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSS)
The Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation provides mental health professionals with a detailed questionnaire that aids in understanding specific suicidal thoughts and their overall intensity.
Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)
The Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) offers a simple, plain-language format suitable for both mental health professionals and people without formal mental health training. This tool helps users assess suicide risk and gauge the level of support the individual requires.
Suicide Probability Scale
The Suicide Probability Scale assesses an individual’s overall well-being and coping skills. This scale is designed to offer insights into the individual with suicidal ideation’s mental state.
Importance of Suicide Ideation Scales
Suicidal ideation assessment scales are essential for mental health professionals in creating a care plan to meet the unique needs of each individual patient. Accurate diagnosis is one of the most important factors in managing the symptoms and mitigating the risks of those who experience suicidal ideation.
The suicide ideation scales are used as part of a comprehensive assessment to diagnose suicidal ideation. The Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation is one of the most researched suicide ideation scales and is used in clinical and research settings.
Dr. Brindusa Vanta, MD
Treatment and Intervention Strategies for Suicidal Thoughts
Psychotherapy is often a major help for those struggling with suicidal thoughts—it can change thought-behavior-mood patterns, provide medication, and promote healthy lifestyle changes. However, someone with these thoughts may not be open to the idea of seeking help, especially if it’s in a psychiatric facility. In this case, an intervention can help.
Form a group of the individual’s loved ones, and all of you should plan what you want to say beforehand. Then, meet with the individual as a group, and share your feelings with them, telling them you care and that they’re not alone. Try to convince them to seek help.
If the individual remains opposed to professional help and they’re an immediate risk to themselves, it may be necessary to explore short-term involuntary hospitalization.[4,5]
Common Questions About Suicidal Thoughts & Ideation
Suicidal thoughts are thoughts about ending your life. People with suicidal thoughts typically feel lonely and depressed and believe that the world would be better off without them in it.
Individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts may feel they have nobody to talk to, and they may struggle to find help. Some helpful ways to deal with suicidal thoughts include speaking with a counselor or contacting a suicide prevention support line.
While suicidal ideation doesn’t discriminate, statistics state that there are certain groups that have a higher suicide risk than others. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), veterans, rural residents, sexual and gender minorities, middle-aged adults, people of color, and tribal populations have increased risks of suicide or suicide attempts compared to the general U.S. population[6].
When someone who is having suicidal thoughts visits the emergency room, a staff member, possibly a mental health crisis professional, will perform an initial assessment. The evaluation helps assess the suicide risk levels of the person in crisis and determine the type of care needed[7].
Hope for Individuals Experiencing Suicidal Ideation
Learning to recognize the signs of suicidal ideation is important for both the individuals feeling suicidal and their friends and loved ones.
What to Do If You or Someone You Know Is In Crisis
- Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
988lifeline.org[2] - Crisis Text Line: Text TALK to 741-741
Written by Anne Hixon
Ann is a freelance content writer with over 10 years of experience writing on versatile topics, including home improvement, health and wellness, food and wine, and more. She enjoys creating content that helps and inspires people. As an avid researcher, Ann loves combing every corner of the internet when researching topics to ensure her writing is both factually accurate and interesting. In addition to content writing, Ann has a background in the television industry as a script coordinator and transcriber.
Edited by Katelynne Shepard
Katelynne Shepard is a writer, editor and SME who is proficient at crafting and reviewing content. She has been a full-time copywriter and editor since 2011 and has written content for Fortune 500 companies, independent law firms, indie publishers, small-business owners and mainstream websites. She specializes in parenting, lifestyle, family law, personal injury, criminal law, immigration law, astrology, personal finance, education and health care. In addition to thousands of e-commerce product and category descriptions, Verle's work includes SEO blogs, social media posts and long-form informational articles.
Subject Matter Expert Brindusa Vanta, MD
Dr. Brindusa Vanta is a healthcare professional, researcher, and medical subject matter expert . She earned her MD degree from "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine, Romania. She has a special interest in mental health and has collaborated with psychologists and other mental health practitioners on various research projects focused on therapies to manage depression, age-related cognitive decline, trauma and stressor- related conditions.
Sources
Brain Therapy TMS. (n.d.). What is passive suicidal ideation? Sourced from https://braintherapytms.com/what-is-passive-suicidal-ideation/
Suicide Prevention Resource Center. (n.d.). Warning signs for suicide. Sourced from https://sprc.org/warning-signs-for-suicide/
National Centre for Epidemiology & Population Health, Australian National University. (n.d.). Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale (SIDAS). Sourced from https://nceph.anu.edu.au/research/tools-resources/suicidal-ideation-attributes-scale-sidas
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. (n.d.). Therapies. Sourced from https://afsp.org/therapies/
CK-12. (n.d.). What lifestyle choices can help reduce the risk of suicide? Sourced from https://www.ck12.org/flexi/life-science/exercise/what-lifestyle-choices-can-help-reduce-the-risk-of-suicide/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Suicide facts at a glance. Sourced from https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/facts/index.html#:
Dignity Health. (n.d.). Mental health emergency: What to expect in the ER. Sourced from https://www.dignityhealth.org/articles/mental-health-emergency-what-to-expect-in-the-er