Passive Suicidal Thoughts: Warning Signs

When people mention suicidal thoughts, they automatically have in mind someone wanting to take their own life. However, psychology recognizes a type of suicidal thought that does not involve an actual intention to self-harm and calls it passive suicidal thoughts or ideations.

Although passive suicidal thoughts exclude planning to take one´s own life, they can easily turn into planning and action, so it is very important to react early to signs of someone struggling with passive suicidal ideations. To help you recognize these signs, we will share with you information on the distinction between active vs passive suicidal thoughts, as well as what sort of help to seek and where. Keep on reading to learn more. 

What are Passive Suicidal Thoughts

Suicidal thoughts or suicidal ideations are thoughts of self-harm and ending your life, but when they exclude intent to do so, we call them passive suicidal thoughts. Some examples of passive suicidal thoughts would be thinking people would be better off without you, that it wouldn´t be bad not to wake up tomorrow, or even wishing to get into a car accident. Passive suicidal ideations can also include fantasies of your own death. Still, no plan is being formed, and there´s no real intention to take your own life. 

This lack of plan or intention is exactly what separates active from passive suicidal thoughts. Talking about active vs passive suicidal thoughts, research shows that passive and active suicidal thoughts can co-occur but that they are two different constructs, and they need to be evaluated separately, or rather, both have to be included in the assessment.

Just because there´s no plan to commit suicide does not mean passive suicidal thoughts should be disregarded. They are still a sign of mental struggle, substance abuse, major depression, or other mood disorders might be at the root of them. They can also be hidden active thoughts masked by not communicating intention, or they can easily transform into active suicidal thoughts. In any case, they can have severe consequences and, therefore, should not be ignored.

Warning Signs of Passive Suicidal Thoughts

There are many signs that a person is having passive suicidal thoughts. Some might be very obvious, while others can come off as a joke and not be taken seriously. Here is what to keep an eye on:

• Expressing feelings of extreme sadness, hopelessness, isolation, rejection, or apathy.
• Mentioning or joking about death or dying.
• Withdrawing or self-isolating.
• Depression or mood swings.
• Anxiety, irritability, or aggression.
• Engaging in risky or reckless behavior.
• Lack of enjoyment in previously enjoyed activities. 
• Changes in sleep patterns.
• Giving away meaningful personal possessions.
• Scars or other visible signs of self-harm.
• Increased use of drugs or alcohol.

It´s important to keep in mind that all of these can be warning signs, but they are not necessarily that. Feelings of sadness and mood swings can point to potential depression; irritability and aggression might be signs of PTSD; riskier behavior and substance abuse can come from peer pressure; and jokes about death can be attention-seeking or simply a bad sense of humor. Still, as there is always the potential for passive suicidal thoughts to be hidden behind these signs, seeking professional assessment and advice is a good step to take. Don’t hesitate to contact our expert team at We Level Up Palm Beach FL teatment center for addditional information and advice.

The Impact of Passive Suicidal Thoughts

Although passive, suicidal thoughts can change one´s behavior. People struggling with them might not make plans to self-harm, but they can start being more reckless and start acting in a risky way. For instance, they might intentionally not wear a seatbelt when driving or drive recklessly; they might walk alone at night in an unsafe neighborhood; they might neglect their treatment or start using substances that can be harmful.

Other than behavioral, there can be changes in how a person feels. Any passive suicidal thought is negatively charged, causing negative emotions like sadness, worry, and fear, which can amplify depressive and anxious states and potentially result in disorder development.

Finally, passive suicidal thoughts can easily transform into active suicidal thoughts. This can lead to behaviors of self-harm, suicide planning, and even the decision to take one´s own life. Although all the changes and impacts passive suicidal thoughts have are negative, this is the most dangerous one.

Seeking Help and Treatment

Due to the unpredictability of suicidal ideations, which can easily turn into something involving a plan to commit self-harm, it´s important to react early to any signs of suicidal thinking. The first step when seeking professional help is undergoing a mental health assessment in Palm Beach. The assessment helps determine the direction of professional help as it reveals causes and factors contributing to one´s mental state.

For someone struggling with depression and having passive suicidal thoughts as a part of their symptomatology, depression treatment in Palm Beach Florida can offer relief. Psychotherapy approaches implemented can help you understand passive suicidal thoughts meaning, cause, and impact, and they can help you overcome your struggles with overwhelming sadness.

Another common underlying condition behind passive suicidal ideations is anxiety. The overwhelming worry that characterizes anxiety disorder can easily manifest as a desire not to exist, as that would mean the disappearance of anxiety. Both suicidal thoughts and anxiety that might be their cause can be addressed with an anxiety disorder treatment in Palm Beach Florida.

How We Level Up Palm Beach FL Experts Can Help

We Level Up Palm Beach FL treatment center offers a variety of services that can help you and your loved ones overcome suicidal thoughts and intents that might develop. We rely on a holistic approach and treat the body, mind, and spirit rather than just the obvious symptoms. This way, we achieve not only resolution of the current issue but also empowerment that ensures a person is able to address any challenge the future might bring their way.

We implement evidence-based therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectic-behavioral therapy (DBT), to achieve the maximum result.

• CBT works on understanding dysfunctional thinking patterns that result in, in this case, suicidal thoughts or intentions and works on replacing them with functional ones that result in adaptive changes in behavior. CBT helps address irrational thoughts and feelings and aims for functional thoughts and emotions to take their place.
• DBT therapy, on the other hand, aims to help find a balance between change and acceptance, as well as to develop a mindset that is not polarized. It can help a person understand that there are negative things in life we ought to accept while making a change in how we think about them, from having suicidal ideations to acceptance. 

In addition to individual therapy, we at We Level Up Palm Beach promote and provide group therapy sessions. They are often in the form of support groups, as they help people not feel isolated and nurture a sense of belonging. Support groups serve not only as a support network but also as a source of different perspectives and inspiration for overcoming one´s struggles.

Seek Professional Help

If you recognize passive suicidal thoughts in yourself or your loved ones, do not ignore them. They not only significantly and negatively impact one´s life but can also easily turn into planning and intention, and the results can be devastating. Even if the transformation to active thoughts never happens, having even a single passive suicidal thought can be a sign of severe mental struggles for which professional help is necessary.

Seeking professional help early can make all the difference. Trained professionals can help understand why these thoughts occur and help manage them or even completely eliminate them. Call We Level Up Palm Beach for additional information, advice, and recommendations. All our calls are confidential and non-binding.