There is always hope and help for a brighter, better, different future. However, despite increasing understanding of and access to mental healthcare, suicide remains a leading cause of death in the United States. In fact, more than 50,000 Americans died by suicide in 2023, more than any year on record, according to NBCNews.com. The year prior, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported more than 49,000 people lost their lives to suicide.
And for every life lost, even more are affected by suicidal thoughts. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) found that in 2022, 1.6 million adults attempted suicide, while 13.2 million adults seriously considered it. Among the various forms these thoughts can take, passive suicidal ideation is a complex experience that can significantly affect mental well-being. Let’s explore what it is and how it can impact you or your loved one.
What Is Passive Suicidal Ideation?
Passive suicidal ideation involves frequent thoughts of death, dying, or suicide without the intention to harm oneself. It may appear as a general wish to die, without any specific plan or action attached. Other passive suicidal thoughts can include daydreaming about death, hoping for an accident or terminal illness, or wishing you could disappear or were never born.
What Is the Difference Between Active and Passive Suicidal Ideation?
Active suicidal ideation involves having a plan for suicide and the means to carry it out. However, distinguishing when thoughts shift from passive to active isn’t always clear-cut. As with many aspects of mental health, while we create definitions and categories to help us understand and treat these issues, there are often no hard lines in the lived experiences. As Current Psychiatry explains, “Suicidal ideation, active or passive, contains a dynamic mix of ambivalent thoughts and feelings along a continuum of severity” and can change from day to day based on physical and mental health, and the presence or absence of protective factors.
The difference between active and passive suicidal thoughts isn’t always black and white. Suicidal thoughts will vary for everyone, and someone may move between passive and active thoughts depending on their current life circumstances.
Even if passive ideation doesn’t escalate to active suicidal plans, a person experiencing passive suicidal ideation may engage in reckless behavior, put themselves in dangerous situations, or neglect their physical health.
Is Passive Suicidal Ideation Dangerous?
It’s just thoughts, right? So, what’s the harm? The danger and risk associated with passive suicidal thoughts are real. As mentioned earlier, there’s no clear boundary between active and passive ideation, and passive thoughts can gradually or abruptly evolve into active ones. This is why it’s crucial to overcome suicidal thoughts before they lead to actions.
Even if passive ideation doesn’t escalate to active suicidal plans, a person experiencing passive suicidal ideation may engage in reckless behavior, put themselves in dangerous situations, or neglect their physical health. Even if no tangible harm results, suicidal thought patterns often indicate underlying mental health concerns that impact your ability to live life to its fullest.
What Causes Passive Suicidal Thoughts?
Many factors contribute to suicidal ideation. Some of these include:
- Mental Health – The most significant risk factor associated with suicide is mental health. A history of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or other mental health conditions increases the likelihood of suicidal ideation.
- Physical Health – Chronic pain or living with a terminal illness puts you at higher risk for suicidal ideation.
- Substance Use and Addiction – Addiction Science & Clinical Practice found that all forms of substance use increase the likelihood of suicide, including tobacco use. Alcohol use disorder alone increases the risk of suicide more than tenfold. People using drugs and alcohol combined are more than 30 times as likely to die by suicide compared to the general public.
- Life Events – Loss, financial difficulties, work issues, and many other life stressors — both big and small — can influence your thoughts.
- Medications – Some medications, including those prescribed for depression and other mental health concerns, may contribute to suicidal thoughts. It’s essential to carefully monitor yourself or a loved one when adjusting to new medications and consult with your healthcare provider about any side effects you experience.
- Demographics – While demographics may not directly cause suicidal thoughts, they are certainly linked. NIMH reveals that young adults aged 18-25 have the highest prevalence of suicidal thoughts, and among adults 18 and older, “the prevalence of serious suicidal thoughts was highest among adults who identify with two or more races.” Addiction Science & Clinical Practice also notes that the complex relationship between substance use and suicide disproportionately affects women.
- Untreated Trauma – The CDC indicates that you are at greater risk for suicidal thoughts and actions if you experienced childhood abuse or bullying or have been sexually assaulted.
Your or a loved one’s passive suicidal thoughts may also result from more temporary causes, such as changes in weather. For example, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can significantly impact on thoughts and feelings. Similarly, holidays like Christmas and New Year’s may bring feelings of loneliness, stress, or let-down.
You are at greater risk for suicidal thoughts and actions if you experienced childhood abuse or bullying or have been sexually assaulted.
What Are the Signs of Suicidal Ideation?
It can be challenging to know whether, or how much, a loved one (or even yourself) is struggling. As Healthline shares, “No one could ever predict with 100 percent certainty if someone will or will not take their own life. Even trained medical professionals can’t predict who will commit suicide. This is why you need to take threats or thoughts of suicide seriously.”
So pay attention if any of the risk factors listed above are present in your or a loved one’s life. Check in with friends or family who may be feeling sad, lonely, or struggling. Watch for signs such as increased substance use, changes in sleeping or eating habits, or a decline in personal hygiene or routine. Most importantly, listen to and take seriously any expressions of passive or active suicidal thoughts.
What Should I Do About Passive Suicidal Thoughts?
If you notice signs of passive suicidal ideation in yourself or a loved one, take action. Early intervention may involve talking to a professional and getting the appropriate treatment for mental health concerns like depression or substance abuse. It may include building life skills, improving financial stability, or seeking better care for physical health issues. Therapy can also be beneficial to develop healthy coping skills, using tools such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to heal and reframe experiences.
Even without the risk of suicide, these therapeutic resources can greatly improve your quality of life.
Now is the time to get help for suicidal thoughts. The Meadows offers mental health support for suicidal ideation. Don’t wait for things to seem “bad enough.” If you or a loved one is struggling with mental health, addiction, or suicidal ideation, take action now. The sooner you begin treatment, the sooner life and your outlook on it can begin to heal and improve. There is never a “too early” to get help, but there is a final “too late.” Please reach out to us today, and let us connect you to the right resources for your or a loved one’s specific recovery needs.
