Signs and Concerns of Suicidal Ideation
How to Recognize the Signs of Suicidal Ideation
Feeling sad, down, or grieving a loss are all normal emotional responses to stressful external stimuli. But for some individuals, feeling sad is more than a just a passing emotion. Pervasive feelings of sadness and self-loathing are symptoms of depression, a serious mental health condition. Untreated clinical depression can lead the patient to engage in thoughts of suicide. Although suicidal ideation isn’t the same as a suicide attempt, suicidal ideation is a high-risk cause of concern. Learning how to recognize the symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation is crucial for protecting depressed individuals from harm.
What is depression?
Depression significantly differs from normal feelings of unhappiness. With depression, negative emotions and low mood can last for a long time, and there doesn’t necessarily have to be a specific trigger for a depressive episode to occur. Also, a major depressive episode comes with many distinct, often overwhelming symptoms that impair a person’s everyday functioning, unlike normal, fleeting feelings of despondency.
What is suicidal ideation?
In severe cases, people who are experiencing an episode of depression will have thoughts of suicide, called suicidal ideation. They may even engage in self-harming behaviors. Tragically, untreated depression can lead to a suicide attempt. In suicide attempts with a firearm, up to 85% of cases are fatal. It’s crucial for friends and family members to recognize the symptoms of suicidal ideation in a loved one to prevent a tragic outcome.
Many depressed individuals cannot always recognize that something is wrong, and can fail to get help on their own. They may even believe that support isn’t available, which is not true. There are many different effective treatment methods for depression. Thoughts of suicide are often fleeting and short-lived. With treatment, people can get better.
What are the symptoms of depression?
Symptoms of depression can vary from person to person, but a cluster of the following symptoms must be present for at least two weeks for an official diagnosis.
- Sadness and low mood
- Anger or irritability
- Difficulties sleeping, either sleeping too much or too little.
- Problems eating
- Sudden weight gain or weight loss
- Loss of interest in activities
- Inability to feel pleasure
- Failure to commit to normal levels of self-care
- Lack of energy and fatigue
- Problems concentrating
- Feeling hopeless and easily stressed about the future
- Experiencing unrealistic fears and worries
- Pervasive, vague feelings of guilt and worthlessness or shame
- Suicidal ideation
- Engaging in self-harming behaviors
- Social isolation
- Suicide attempts
What are the signs of suicidal ideation?
Concerned family and friends may fear that asking a person about suicide will put the idea into their head. Or, that a person who has decided to commit suicide will not talk about it, or will be single-minded and unable to change their mind. None of these are true. Most people who engage in suicidal ideation will talk about it as a way of reaching out for help.
- Talking about dying either directly or indirectly. Wondering out loud what it would be like if they “were gone,” or had “never been born.”
- Increasing social isolation.
- Complete failure to eat, bathe or otherwise take care of themselves.
- Giving away valuable possessions or changing their will.
- Severe mood swings and changes in personality.
- Obtaining the means to commit suicide, such as buying a firearm or stockpiling pills.
- Engaging in risky behavior, such as taking drugs, binge drinking, or driving recklessly.
- Saying “goodbye” to family and friends or otherwise acting as if they will never see them again.
Who is most at-risk for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts?
Millions of people in the US suffer from an episode of major depression every year. But not all depressed people will have thoughts of suicide. Depression severity can vary by individual and symptoms, and the duration of depression can also be different from person to person. But there are several known risk factors for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts.
- Attempting suicide before.
- Having a co-occurring substance abuse disorder.
- Suffering from a comorbid mental health condition.
- If a close friend or family member has also committed suicide.
- If the depressed person has access to an easy means of suicide, such as firearms or large quantities of pills.
- The depressed individual has recently experienced a significant loss.
- If they are unwilling to seek help.
- If they are experiencing significant barriers to treatment access.
Unfortunately, the warning signs of suicidal ideation are not always clear and can vary significantly from person to person. Some people may express their thoughts out loud, while others are silent about their intentions. It’s important to look for patterns and other risk factors to determine if suicidal ideation is a concern in a depressed individual.
What can someone do to help a loved one who is exhibiting signs of suicidal ideation?
If a person is making overt threats of suicide or is attempting suicide, do not hesitate to call 911 immediately.
If the person is exhibiting vague signs of suicidal ideation, it’s important to listen and demonstrate empathy for their situation. Avoid saying things that minimize a person’s pain, such as “life isn’t so bad” or “everything is okay.” A more effective way to communicate with a suicidal person is to let them know that they have support and to help them find treatment for their depression. Depression causes severe feelings of being overwhelmed, hopelessness, and can also cause problems with concentration. Many times, a severely depressed person needs help taking the steps to find and access treatment, and isn’t necessarily opposed to treatment.
In cases where a loved one is exhibiting signs of suicidal ideation, family members can become easily overwhelmed, frustrated, or even angry. It’s crucial to reach out for help from experienced counselors and therapists before this happens. A depressed, suicidal person may be embarrassed or become angry at a loved one who contacts a treatment center for help. But it is a sign of care, love, and concern to get a depressed friend or family member the resources they need to get better. If a loved one is showing signs of suicidal ideation, do not hesitate to contact a mental health professional today.
