Why do people feel suicidal?

Most people might be aware that suicidal ideation (thinking about suicide) is a symptom of mental health issues, like depression and that is an important symptom to pay attention to because of the risk to life it poses. In honour of suicidal prevention day we want to spend some time explaining why someone might feel suicidal and what function is it serving for them.

One of the most helpful things you can do for someone who is feeling suicidal is to sit with them in the darkness of their feeling and understand their experience - so they are not alone.Understanding the function of suicidal thoughts is going to better equip you to do this.

Important note: We should never assume that the following information applies to someone who says they are suicidal. Every person is different and if someone is expressing suicidal ideation, it is important that they are referred to support services to comprehensively assess their individual safety and therapeutic needs.

Suicidal thoughts are a form of protection.

When someone is experiencing pain and suffering that is so great, and more than they think they can cope with, sometimes they will think about suicide because it either:

Allows them to fantasise about no longer being in this pain and suffering and focusing on the fantasy takes them away from their focus on pain.
Gives them a sense of control over the pain because they believe that if they have a plan, this offers them a way out of suffering. This sense of control reduces suffering because they feel less hopeless.

This produces a powerful neurological association and reward system between having these thoughts and relief/resolving their emotional state.

In therapy, we work with clients to build other ways of experiencing relief and control of their emotional state. Even as someone is recovering, it might be necessary for them to hold onto the suicidal thoughts as this may have been a powerful form of protection for many years.

For more information on how to support a loved one who is suicidal, check out our blog here.

This blog post is a brief exploration of this topic and does not replace therapy. At SHIPS, we have practitioners that are knowledgeable and skilled in a variety of areas including sex therapy, relationships and more. If you may benefit from some support, please check out our website resources, or contact us.

We are also always happy to hear feedback about our blog articles. If you would like to share your experience or feel we may have missed something on this topic, please contact us to let us know.