In 2023, more than 50,000 Americans died by suicide, reports NBCNews.com. While this record-breaking number is tragic, it doesn’t address the countless others currently struggling with suicidal thoughts or ideation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that for every suicide death in 2022, there were 336 people who seriously considered suicide at some point during the year.
As the number of suicide deaths continues to rise, so does its impact on society. Suicidal thoughts can happen to anyone — friends, family members, or even you as you read this. If you are having suicidal thoughts, it’s important to get help today before these thoughts turn into actions.
What Are Suicidal Thoughts?
According to the CDC, nearly 16% of people in the US will experience suicidal thoughts at some point in their lives. These thoughts involve contemplating, considering, or planning to take your own life. Mind.org describes having suicidal thoughts as feelings that others might be better off without you or imagining methods of ending your life. These emotions can intensify over time or vary from moment to moment, making them deeply personal and unpredictable.
When experiencing suicidal thoughts, some common accompanying emotions may include:
- Hopelessness
- Feeling overwhelmed by negative thoughts
- Intense, unbearable pain
- Feeling useless or unwanted by others
- Desperation
When discussing suicidal thoughts, it’s important to know there are different forms. Initial suicidal thoughts and feelings may lead toward active suicidal ideation, where you begin making plans to take your own life. Alternatively, you might struggle with passive suicidal thoughts and intrusive suicidal thoughts, which involve thinking about suicide in other ways but without immediate plans.
Passive Suicidal Thoughts
If you’re passively suicidal, it means you’re having suicidal thoughts or wishing you were dead; however, your thoughts are just thoughts at this point. You’re not actually making plans to commit suicide, and you don’t have the intention of harming yourself. Your passive suicidal thoughts may sound something like, “It’s OK if I don’t wake up tomorrow,” “I don’t have a purpose anymore,” or, “I wish I were never born.”
Although you might not have a plan to harm yourself, you could find yourself frequently preoccupied with thoughts of death or fantasizing about something tragic happening, such as being in a car accident or drowning. Passive suicidal ideation doesn’t always indicate imminent danger, but it’s crucial to think of who to tell about the suicidal thoughts you’re having and reach out for help before things escalate.
Intrusive Suicidal Thoughts
Intrusive suicidal thoughts are unwanted thoughts about suicide that seem to involuntarily insert themselves into your mind. These distressing and disturbing thoughts may occur unexpectedly or repeatedly.
Because these thoughts are intrusive, they don’t reflect your true intentions or desires. Having intrusive suicidal thoughts doesn’t mean you’re suicidal. Many people experience intrusive thoughts of various kinds, and the fact that they feel disturbing or unwanted is a telltale sign that they conflict with your true values. However, if such thoughts become persistent or debilitating, they might indicate an underlying mental health condition, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Many people experience intrusive thoughts of various kinds, and the fact that they feel disturbing or unwanted is a telltale sign that they conflict with your true values.
Having Suicidal Thoughts: Why It Happens
Recent data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) highlights that approximately 5% of US adults experienced serious thoughts of suicide in the past year. That’s about 12.8 million people, not counting adolescents who ranked even higher at 12.3%. But what causes suicidal thoughts, and who is most susceptible?
For some, suicidal thoughts can arise from difficult life circumstances that make life feel like it is no longer worth living. The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) identifies several triggering events, such as:
- The death of a loved one
- Loss of a job or financial stress
- A painful breakup
Other contributing factors, as noted by Mind.org, include:
- Bullying or discrimination based on race, gender, disability, or sexual identity
- Domestic, physical, or sexual abuse
- Housing instability or homelessness
- Substance abuse or addiction
- Incarceration
- Societal pressures to act a certain way or achieve specific milestones
Considering these factors, certain groups of people are more vulnerable to suicide than others. According to the CDC, veterans, Native Americans, people living in rural areas, and young people who identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual have higher-than-average rates of suicide in the US. Additionally, mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder significantly increase the risk. In fact, 90% of people who die by suicide have a psychiatric illness, reports StatPearls. This statistic emphasizes the importance of getting treatment for mental health conditions.
How to Recognize Suicidal Behavior and Ideation
According to Psychiatria Danubina, suicide rates fluctuate throughout the year, often increasing after major holidays and peaking on New Year’s Day. At the same time, research cited by The New York Times reveals that suicide is often an impulsive act, with the highest risk passing within minutes or hours. This means restricting access to lethal means of suicide can significantly reduce risk.
Armed with this knowledge, the first step in helping a loved one with suicide prevention is to recognize the warning signs of suicidal thoughts and behavior. If your loved one is having suicidal thoughts, they’ll likely show some of the following signs:
- Reckless or dangerous behavior
- Increased drug or alcohol use
- Talking about suicide, death, or violence
- Saying goodbye in ways that seem formal or final
- Getting affairs in order or giving away belongings
- Mood swings or personality changes, including a sudden increase in positivity
- Withdrawing socially and self-isolating
Suicide is often an impulsive act, with the highest risk passing within minutes or hours. This means restricting access to lethal means of suicide can significantly reduce risk.
If your loved one is showing any of the above signs (or has any of the risk factors mentioned earlier), reach out to them. They may not know who to tell about the suicidal thoughts they’re having. So your efforts to be a listening ear, reduce access to the means of harm, and provide support can be a critical step in preventing a suicide attempt.
Are You Having Suicidal Thoughts?
As you’ve read about suicidal thoughts and feelings, their risk factors, and warning signs, you may be able to relate. Perhaps you’re concerned that you’re having suicidal thoughts yourself. If so, take a moment to assess your risk by asking yourself these questions:
- Do you wish you were dead or could avoid waking up?
- Have you had thoughts about committing suicide?
- Are you feeling like killing yourself right now?
- Have you taken any steps to end your life, such as making plans or acting on them?
If you answered yes, sometimes, or maybe to any of these questions, it is vital to learn how to get help for the suicidal thoughts you’re having. In the simplest answer, you need to reach out to someone. Even if it’s passive suicidal thoughts, telling someone you trust or seeking professional help for your struggles can be the difference between life and death.
Get Help for Suicidal Thoughts at The Meadows Malibu
If you’re struggling with suicidal thoughts or ideation, know that you can break free and see life as worth living again. At The Meadows Malibu, our compassionate mental health professionals understand the pain you’re experiencing. Through personalized treatment, we’ll walk alongside you to address the root causes of your struggles, help you reclaim hope, and guide you toward lasting recovery. To learn more, contact our team today.