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Trigger warning: This article mentions suicide and defines passive or chronic suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is concerned regarding suicidal ideation or thoughts of suicide, call or text the suicide and crisis lifeline at 988.

What is passive suicidal ideation?

When a person has a desire to no longer live, but no plan or intent, this is referred to as passive suicidal ideation. Passive S.I. can sound like:

• I would be okay if I didn’t wake up in the morning.
• I wonder what the world would be like without me in it.
• I wish I could just disappear forever.
• I wish I was never born.
• I wish I could sleep and never wake up.
• Why bother to try if I don’t want to live anyway?

Passive S.I. can look like:

• Threatening physical harm to himself if he does not get his way
• Hopelessness
• Verbalizing suicide as the solution for any level of conflict or discomfort
• Using the idea of suicide as a leveraging tool to maintain control or control an outcome
• Apathy to things they once enjoyed 
• Flippant risk-taking behavior that is physically dangerous 

Risk Factors of Passive Suicidal Ideation

1. Trauma

The impacts of trauma are often hard to overcome alone. From once-in-a-lifetime distressing events to everyday occurrences that leave an impression on our hearts and emotions, trauma can devastate someone into passive suicidal ideation if the core underlying issues are not addressed.

2. Mental Health Struggles

Mental health struggles (i.e. depression, dual diagnosis, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, etc.) often contribute to individuals struggling with passive suicidal ideation. Sometimes, the weight of these struggles may result in an attempt to alleviate or escape their pain by viewing the end of their life as a route to not endure the trials in the days ahead.

3. A Lack of Resources

Sometimes we don’t know the help that we need exists, and other times we’re just not sure where to start. Resources for passive suicidal ideation include but are not limited to:

• A support system
• Therapy
• An intervention
• Peer support
• Medication (prescribed by your physician or psychiatrist)

When They Have a History of Suicide Attempts

While passive suicidal ideation consists of not having a plan or intent, it can be especially concerning to encounter someone who is showing signs of S.I. when they have previously had a plan. Even if you feel that they aren’t serious, may be using it as leverage, or it’s attention-seeking behavior, we encourage you to take action. Beyond getting immediate help, work to set healthy boundaries with your child and collaborate to make a plan for when they’re experiencing suicidal ideation. In our experience, if they know that you will take their mentions of suicide seriously (which includes next steps of action), they are less likely to abuse it, which encourages more conversation and less threatening. 

When is the right time to get help? 

Our answer is to always act immediately. When a therapist hears a client make a statement that aligns with passive suicidal ideation, they immediately do a risk assessment. The same level of urgency should be taken at home. Acting immediately can look like:

• Asking if they have a plan
• Contacting a mental health professional
• Not leaving them alone for 24-48 hours
• Consistent outpatient therapy
• Family therapy (so the trained professional can work with the whole family on how to support your child)
• If you’ve exhausted all measures and your child continues to consistently struggle with this, it may be time to explore other options like short-term inpatient treatment or residential treatment.

Capstone is a top rated residential treatment center for young men. We focus on helping young men ages 18-26 and teens ages 14-17 who struggle with self-destructive behaviors, mental health struggles, and compulsive behaviors. Get in touch today to learn more about our expert team and our approach to helping young men overcome their hurts.  Learn how we can help you here.