Help Talking to a therapist about suicidal thoughts

[lemmeeleev]

If I were to tell a therapist about suicidal ideation, what would I have to say/leave out to not get admitted to a mental hospital? I'm a minor for a few more months by the way, so that might make a difference.

 

[Meretlein]

My recommendation is to not do it. I have heard many horror stories from other people and I have horror stories myself about psych wards. It would be best if you don't even put yourself at risk to going to one of those places.

I was sent to a hospital at 17 (the hospital threatened cps on my father unless he signed me in) and the nurse praised my dad for doing this before I turned 18. Being a minor makes it much easier to be kidnapped and held hostage.

 

[lemmeeleev]

My recommendation is to not do it. I have heard many horror stories from other people and I have horror stories myself about psych wards. It would be best if you don't even put yourself at risk to going to one of those places.

I was sent to a hospital at 17 (the hospital threatened cps on my father unless he signed me in) and the nurse praised my dad for doing this before I turned 18. Being a minor makes it much easier to be kidnapped and held hostage.

That's what I though. How would it change if I were over 18?

 

[Meretlein]

That's what I though. How would it change if I were over 18?

A therapist/doctor/nurse/or any medical professional would have to judge you as an immediate danger to yourself or others. There can still be false positives and unjustified hospitalizations in these cases too. Just head over to legaladvice on reddit, plenty of horror stories there. All psychiatric hospitalizations can disqualify you from certain careers too.

 

[TreatmentDidntWork]

Do not mention any specific methods or time frames. It's usually okay to say that you are having suicidal thoughts, as long as you ALSO state you have no intention of acting on them whatsoever.

 

[lemmeeleev]

A therapist/doctor/nurse/or any medical professional would have to judge you as an immediate danger to yourself or others. There can still be false positives and unjustified hospitalizations in these cases too. Just head over to legaladvice on reddit, plenty of horror stories there. All psychiatric hospitalizations can disqualify you from certain careers too.

I see, that's what I feared. Thanks for replying to my question.

 

[Kyrok]

Better to say "it is all too tough for me right now" or "I can't deal with X" or "my future seems hopeless." Talk about pain, futility, self-loathing, or whatever makes you want to ctb. Never tell them you're suicidal. Better to talk about why you want to ctb, vs that you want to ctb.

 

[Meretlein]

Better to say "it is all too tough for me right now" or "I can't deal with X" or "my future seems hopeless." Talk about pain, futility, self-loathing, or whatever makes you want to ctb. Never tell them you're suicidal. Better to talk about why you want to ctb, vs that you want to ctb.

You would actually risk sharing that with a therapist? Maybe i've just gone over the bend about them idk.

 

[kaliban923]

Yes, you can talk about "dark thoughts" but the therapist will be looking for signs that you are in imminent danger such as

• Have you stopped doing any daily routines or things you enjoy?
• How far have you thought out the process. If you don't normally own guns but suddenly have bought a gun thats a warning sign
• How certain you are about wanting to die.

These are just a few of things a therapist considers. So you can talk but don't go too far into any details or hint any major changes in behavior. I've done this successfully and was able to have productive sessions without mt therapist admitting me or reporting me.

 

[CornerE]

All psychiatric hospitalizations can disqualify you from certain careers too.

just curious , certain careers like what ?
isn't that some sort of discrimination ?

well , if some psychiatrics online use discriminating phrases against many of us claiming that suicide thoughts perse is a sign of mental disorder that makes us unable to think straight .. not a free choice - god forbid
and undermine us just to when an argument when they're stuck , imagine what would the rest do .

 

[Meretlein]

just curious , certain careers like what ?
isn't that some sort of discrimination ?

well , if some psychiatrics online use discriminating phrases against many of us claiming that suicide thoughts perse is a mental disorder that makes us unable to think straight
and undermine us just to when an argument when they're stuck , imagine what would the rest do .

Careers with public trust like pilot, doctor, ems, police, and politics/government work come to mind.

 

[pinkblanket55]

therapists would have different guidelines they have to follow dependant on what country u r in and then what would happen will also depend on what the local health services are. Personally i wouldnt risk it. The psych ward i was at was scary, dangerous, and the lack of liberty is really bad for your mental health. And you dont get treated with the respect .
find an online therapist that doesnt know your location perhaps and then you can talk the truth

 

[21Neberg]

If I were to tell a therapist about suicidal ideation, what would I have to say/leave out to not get admitted to a mental hospital? I'm a minor for a few more months by the way, so that might make a difference.

I've been in your exact shoes!
I told my therapist that I thought about killing myself for years and that I did make steps towards a plan. I have hinted at having attempted twice but as far as I know she isn't 100% aware of it. I was not admitted to a mental hospital, I am instead being referred to a psychiatrists clinic I don't know much about. But I believe it will just be weekly appointments there. My pro-tip: just ask her what you can and can't say! I did so too, honesty is the key to getting better mental health in my opinion.

 

[406metallicblue]

I have been to psych wards twice, it wasn't the horror story others have experienced or heard about, maybe i got lucky. In each case the psychiatrist or doctor asked me if i accepted to go, if you're a minor you're probably not going to be asked the question but a family member might be on your behalf. If you are interested in getting better and progressing it's not necessarily a bad idea to spend some time in a good hospital, it's hard to know what kind of facility until you get there. Where i am, a person who agrees to go of their own free will is also able to leave of their own free will in principle. I'm sure there are circumstances where leaving is harder depending on your behaviour.

I'm not sure what would have happened had i told my doctor i had attempted suicide, he said i ought to go to a hospital was i okay with that, and i had said no..

The only people i met who had been forcibly sent to a hospital against their will were ones who had become violent or a perceived danger to others. Why is it you don't want to be sent to a hospital, because you want to ctb or because you think it will be a nightmare there.

 

[406metallicblue]

That's what I though. How would it change if I were over 18?

My experience was that over 18s have to be asked for their permission, unless they represent a danger to others, even if they express suicidal feelings. Someone who has actively attempted suicide though, i'm not sure a doctor has the right to force you into a hospital unless you agree, which people tend to due to the fact that they have visited their doctor or psychiatrist in the first place and are requesting help. I don't know what happens if you attempt suicide and refuse hospitalisation here. Perhaps the police and emergency services are called and it's taken out of your hands. But i remember my doctor asking me if it was okay for me to be hospitalised after i told him i had made an attempt and explained in detail what happened.

The hospital i spent time at was a strange experience at first. There was a park outside and a cafe where residents could usually wander and the food was excellent and the staff usually caring in their own way. We were treated like people and engaged with.Talking with other residents was usually a good echange and i am still in touch with some of them ie i made friends there.. But there was another unit next door where things were by no means as easy., apparently.

It appears i was placed in a more cool unit because my condition was deemed to be relatively minor. They didn't even remove my belt and you were able to have permissions to leave the hospital to buy cigarettes and chocolate, the latter of which was in principle interdit but accepted usually. In comparison with what i heard from others, it was an outstanding place. I would go back but it wouldn't achieve anything anymore. The psychiatric nurses were generally kind (with the odd notable exception) and considerate. The psychiatrists varied, i changed mine after a few weeks because of no empathy with the guy and got a better one.

My point with all this is really that not all psychiatric hospitals are like 'one flew over the cuckoos nest'. It's a prereqiusite that you want to have help to get better and find a hospital that can help you and where you feel more or less cared for.. It's not easy being in that environment but it can be a starting point. You realise that there are people with pathologies perhaps much more severe than yours. I felt at home there but the novelty wore off after a couple of months and i wanted to be free. I don't regret my time there at all in fact i appreciate it.

It wasn't my experience that the meds fucked me up, or the hospital environment. There was a restriction on what you could or couldn't do and you lost your freedom, but I was fucked up already, which was why i went there.

You need to ask yourself the question 'do i want to get better or is there a chance of it, a fire in my belly'. If so, confess all to your doctor or therapist and try to find a decent hospital. If it doesn't work then at least you can say you tried all the options.

 

[Nifi]

Be careful, i was put on a medication because of it(now i'm suffering from a sexual dysfunction, cognition problems and my emotions are GONE). Antidepressants can really fuck up your health... if you're gonna talk about it my tip would be to make the therapist clear that you have everything under control so you won't end up in psych ward or whatever.

 

[406metallicblue]

Be careful, i was put on a medication because of it(now i'm suffering from a sexual dysfunction, cognition problems and my emotions are GONE). Antidepressants can really fuck up your health... if you're gonna talk about it my tip would be to make the therapist clear that you have everything under control so you won't end up in psych ward or whatever.

Let's be clear, it's easy to blame psych wards or medication for your ills, but there is a reason why you end up there in the first place. There seem to be three choices if you're feeling shitty. Why were you prescribed medication? Look, i wish that a healthy diet and yoga every morning would cure our problems. Are you more depressed than when you first went to see your doctor? The choices are,

1. Live with it
2. Fail to cope with it and see your doctor, who is going to prescribe drugs and possibly a spell in a hospital.
3. Ctb if all else fails

But i'm supposing you went to your gp because of severe depression and were drug free at the time.

 

[AnnihilatedAnna]

I think you should be honest. If you are in therapy to get better, dancing around the issue isn't gonna help. Maybe you should tell him/her about the reasons you are wanting to die. Like "this and this happend" tell them about the reason. Then you can add sometimes those make me want to die.


As you can see I'm also under age, I told my therapist this and it didn't land me in a mental hospital, I did once voluntarily go to one and for me at least it wasn't such a horror

 

[Nifi]

Let's be clear, it's easy to blame psych wards or medication for your ills, but there is a reason why you end up there in the first place. There seem to be three choices if you're feeling shitty. Why were you prescribed medication? Look, i wish that a healthy diet and yoga every morning would cure our problems. Are you more depressed than when you first went to see your doctor? The choices are,

1. Live with it
2. Fail to cope with it and see your doctor, who is going to prescribe drugs and possibly a spell in a hospital.
3. Ctb if all else fails

But i'm supposing you went to your gp because of severe depression and were drug free at the time.

Yeah i went to a GP, ask for something uplifting but got a SSRI (because stimulans are only in second line i guess). Before i was on the meds i was depressed but still did everything in life (college, seeing friends etc...) the meds turned me into a zombie with numb genitals. I wasn't self aware anymore. And PSSD is a serious health condition, people should be aware that psychmeds can cause permanent damage.

 

[406metallicblue]

Yeah i went to a GP, ask for something uplifting but got a SSRI (because stimulans are only in second line i guess). Before i was on the meds i was depressed but still did everything in life (college, seeing friends etc...) the meds turned me into a zombie with numb genitals. I wasn't self aware anymore. And PSSD is a serious health condition, people should be aware that psychmeds can cause permanent damage.

I'm sorry to hear about your experience with ssri. If you were at college and seeing friends and did everything in life, i rather blame your doctor for prescribing you this stuff. Yes, in that case watch out for the GP. What were you depressed about? SSRI ought to be for people who have more or less ceased to function, not people who are blue.

 

[Nifi]

I'm sorry to hear about your experience with ssri. If you were at college and seeing friends and did everything in life, i rather blame your doctor for prescribing you this stuff. Yes, in that case watch out for the GP. What were you depressed about? SSRI ought to be for people who have more or less ceased to function, not people who are blue.

I was struggling with getting direction in life. Identity issues etc... and i was pretty isolated as a kid at home so i'm not that good with emotions and was somewhat detached from them. Never had problems in school and with friends etc... so this all is pretty hard on me :( now i dropped out of uni because my cognition is so bad and i barely feel connected with my friends anymore because of the emotional numbness. But i'm still trying to improve my health tho

 

[Funkbunny]

There's a big difference in talking about suicide, and talking about plans. What do you want to get out of such a discussion with a therapist? If you are deemed a risk to self or others the therapist will have to take action.

 

[TAW122]

Pretty much what others have said here, but to add on to that, I personally would NOT even broach the topic of suicide, harm, or death, let alone see a mental health professional (unless I needed to for some reason, like gathering evidence for a medical claim or applying for some benefits -- such as SSI or something).

Also, I still find it a bit too risky for me to even discuss about suicide or death because all it takes is some technicality or stupid misunderstanding and then all of a sudden, everything gets worse (including being detained against one's will - even for a short time until they sort it out). Basically, to me it's like playing with fire, except that this "fire" has serious ramifications.