Monthly Appts with Psych - Not mentioning Suicidal stuff

[mossyfox]

Usually I'm pretty honest with my doc and he adjusts meds but I always fear being honest about these thoughts and what authority he has to do something about it. I'm worried he would be able to do more than change my meds. I'm also worried that he would make a med change that I wouldn't be able to refuse. It just disrupts my life which causes more social issues and bad interactions that add fuel to my wanting to ctb.

Honestly coming on here has helped me more. Being able to talking freely and openly with people who just get it and to explore 'darker' thoughts makes me feel better. Most people here say great things in response because they just understand, no empty or useless replies.

What can a doctor actually do if you are honest? Can they admit you just for saying you think about ctb?

 

[Alwaysbadtime]

No, not really. If you say you think about it but don't have a specific plan they can't just force to to go to a hospital. I would probably not tell them you think about it as much as you truthfully do.

Really- what is the point of telling them? They're not like a friend...They will just tell you not to do it and probably suggest more therapy and not want to give you meds you could potentially od on.

 

[LittleJem]

In USA I think they can. Not UK

 

[WaitingForTheBusInTh]

I've never understood why having a plan is worse. It takes literal seconds to plan anything. Planning to go grocery shopping? 'I need x, y, and z, I need my keys to get in my car', done. Ctb? 'I need to take the rope from under my bed, hang it on something, and put my head through the loop', done.

 

[nerve]

Being here has been helpful for me too it's nice to talk about things and not have people immediately say stuff like "you should try meds & therapy :^)" or "but your family would miss you!" or whatever.

In the US, a doctor can't "do anything" unless you say you have a specific plan for ending your life. I answer no to this question every time they ask and I can tell they don't totally believe me but there's nothing they can really do about it. They can't send someone to a hospital because "hmm I think this person poses a threat to themselves..."

So yes, you can say you have suicidal thoughts (euphemisms like "I don't want to wake up" or "I'm not sure I can do this anymore" tend to be less alarming to doctors) and they'll ask invasive questions, but as long as what you say tells them that you're still in the "thinking about it" phase rather than the "getting ready to do it" phase, they can't do very much at all.

Here's a decent guide to the types of questions they usually ask and what they mean:

Risk Assessment Questions - Square

www.square.org.au

As far as medication changes, a doctor can't "force" anyone to take anything (maybe unless a court order is involved?) even if they write a prescription for it. If you're open to medication in the first place, it's probably worth giving something new a shot, but ultimately, you're the one choosing whether or not to swallow the pills.

 

[Meliæ]

This thread is very interesting.

I'm pro choice but I am not currently suicidal. I have a plan to exit and even bough the sn and stuff but I don't ant to die now. I just think I own my life and I have the right to choose when and where.
This not my doctor's business he would not understand. I'm not being dishonest I'm just keeping me safe from being assumed suicidal which I'm not.

 

[mossyfox]

Several years ago when I first met him I initially just said that I wanted to die and that I was tired of life but was not going to go out of my way to ctb. That I just wished I was dead. He didn't take that as actionable. Just prescribed meds.

 

[everydayiloveyou]

If this doc prescribes meds to you and you have suicidal ideation, you should tell them. Certain meds can make suicidal ideation a lot worse, especially if you're young, and it can affect the treatment plan in general if you're getting treated for some other issue.

If this is a private practioner, they won't do anything to you, unless you say you have active ideation and are making an actionable plan in the short term. I would avoid talking about long-term plans in specific ways too. You can express that the thoughts exist, that they occur often, and that you've thought deeply about it (you can act like this was some point in the past), but ultimately you make no action or concrete, actionable plans. Be as vague as possible at first just to test the waters, then slowly reveal more. You can even ask your doc how they might respond if you said certain things, it could be a learning experience for both of you.

Things fall apart if you have previous hospitalizations, history of self-harm, and especially previous attempts. In those scenarios I would stay as vague as possible. A doc who is not familiar with you can get spooked by your history and try to section you asap so test the waters veryyyy well before revealing anything, and never say you have a current plan. Never say you take action either. That includes saving pills, practicing your method, writing wills or notes, saving your money, saying last words to friends, buying materials like rope or drugs, etc... basically anything that can be used to prove that it's no longer an idea but preparation for an attempt.