Suicidal ideation refers to thoughts or ideas focused on death or suicide. A person experiencing these thoughts may never take action. But it can be a warning sign critical not to ignore.
If you are thinking about hurting yourself or someone else, or your loved one is, call 988 immediately for mental health support. You can also visit Willow Creek Behavioral Health at any time, for any reason, without question. Our behavioral health treatment center in Green Bay takes walk-ins.
Why Do People Think About Ending Their Life?
Suicide is a serious mental health condition. In 2024, 48,824 people lost their lives to suicide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s estimated that 14.3 million people had serious thoughts about suicide that year, and 4.6 million people planned an attempt. But why?
For those who are not facing mental health disorders, suicide can seem like a loved one giving up unnecessarily. It can easily feel like a dramatic statement. Yet, for a person with suicidal ideation, it’s very much authentic and challenging to overcome.
Numerous factors contribute to why a person may contemplate ending their life:
- Emotional pain that becomes too much to handle: For some people, past emotional pain and trauma can interfere with a person’s ability to continue with life. Some people feel like it’s just “too bad” or “too painful” to continue on.
- Mental health factors: Mental health disorders, including psychosis, clinical depression, and anxiety, can change brain chemistry so much so that it distorts a person’s ability to make healthy decisions. This distortion may result in seeking extreme actions. Biological factors may contribute to this.
- Social and financial stressors: Unfortunately, for some, significant social or financial loss can contribute to thoughts of suicide. That includes the loss of a job or career, the death of a close family member, or extreme isolation from others.
Stress, substance use disorder, sexual orientation (for those who are transgender or non-binary), and negative life event experiences make a person more likely to engage in these thoughts.
In each of these cases, a person feels they simply cannot or should not continue on. If your loved one expresses themselves in this way, don’t ignore it.
Passive and Active Suicidal Ideation
There are two specific forms of suicidal ideation. Both are important to understand because symptoms differ for each person.
- Passive suicidal ideation: A person experiencing passive suicidal thoughts thinks about suicide without any desire to make a plan of action. They don’t take action to harm themselves, though they think about dying or ending their life.
- Active suicidal ideation: A person with these thoughts is motivated to create a plan to self-harm. For example, you may feel more control or a sense of calming when you plan a location for the action. They may engage in behaviors that indicate active planning, for example, writing notes or giving away valuables.
In both cases, treatment is beneficial and could be lifesaving. Acting on those feelings allows you to remain in control.
What to Do If You’re Experiencing Suicidal Ideation?
Many people struggle with negative thoughts and powerful feelings about giving up. But what can you do if you need help right now? Here are several steps you can take right now:
- Call 988. This is a crisis line available to most people across the country. It connects you immediately to someone to talk to about what you’re thinking about and what’s happening. You can even text the number if you’re afraid to call.
- Visit Willow Creek. You can visit us immediately for help. We provide immediate assessments where you’ll sit down with a professional to find out what type of care you need. Our assessment and admissions teams are always available to guide you.
- Take action to contact anyone else. Even if you’re not ready to get professional help, have a conversation with someone else about anything you want. You don’t have to talk about what you’re thinking about or how you feel. Connecting with someone on any level can help.
Focus on the moment you are in right now. You don’t have to have any answers for what tomorrow’s problems are. You only need to get through today. With treatment from a mental health professional, you don’t have to continue to live under this intense pressure and strain. We offer comprehensive treatment for suicidal thoughts in Green Bay.
How Willow Creek Can Help You Now with Suicidal Ideation
Immediate help is nearly always beneficial. If you’re facing uncertainties, take action now.
When you turn to Willow Creek Behavioral Health, we’ll provide an assessment and build an individualized treatment plan meant to give you the tools, support, and care you need to move forward. No matter how hard it is right now to do so, contact us. We’re here, and we care.
