5 Things To Know About Passive Suicidal Ideation
Summary
TLDRThis script discusses passive suicidal ideation, a common yet misunderstood mental health symptom where individuals wish for an end to their suffering without actively planning it. It's not necessarily an indicator of depression severity but can evolve into active ideation. The speaker differentiates it from intrusive thoughts and stresses its treatability, often linked to mood disorders. They advise seeking help and introspection to discern whether the feeling of emptiness stems from mental health issues or unfulfilled life aspects.
Takeaways
- 🌙 Passive Suicidal Ideation (SI) is a form of suicidal thinking where one wishes for an external event to end their life, rather than actively planning to do so.
- 😔 It is common and misunderstood, with many people experiencing it without recognizing or understanding it.
- 🤔 The term 'normal' can be misleading; while it's not statistically unusual, it doesn't mean it's an inevitable part of life.
- 🚨 It's not a direct indicator of the severity of depression, as personality traits play a significant role in whether one leans towards passive or active suicidal ideation.
- 🚫 It can be dangerous and should always be taken seriously, as it can evolve into active suicidal ideation.
- 🏥 It's often a symptom of an underlying mood disorder, such as depression, which is treatable with therapy, medication, or both.
- 🤯 The feeling of a 'hole' or emptiness inside might indicate either a depressive episode or that something essential is missing from one's life.
- 🧠 The distinction between passive SI and intrusive thoughts about death is crucial; the former involves a desire for the event, while the latter is an unwanted, disturbing thought.
- 💊 Treatment for passive SI typically involves addressing the underlying mood disorder, not just the thoughts themselves.
- ❓ A critical question to ask is whether the feelings of emptiness stem from a mental health issue or from an unfulfilling life situation.
- 🔍 Self-reflection and possibly therapy are necessary to discern whether the 'hole' is due to a symptom of depression or a genuine lack of fulfillment in life.
Q & A
What is passive suicidal ideation?
-Passive suicidal ideation is a form of suicidal thinking where a person is not actively planning to end their life, but rather wishes for an external event to end their suffering. They are not excited about life and just want it to be over.
Why is it called a symptom?
-The speaker refers to passive suicidal ideation as a symptom because it is often an indicator of an underlying issue, such as depression or another mood disorder.
Is passive suicidal ideation common?
-It is common, though the exact statistics are not provided. The speaker suggests that it may be experienced by a significant portion of the population at some point in their lives.
Is passive suicidal ideation normal?
-The speaker argues that it is not normal to accept passive suicidal ideation as an inevitable part of life. While it may be common, it is not a healthy or desired state of being.
How does passive suicidal ideation relate to active suicidal ideation?
-Active suicidal ideation involves planning or taking steps to end one's life, which is a different and more immediate danger. The severity of depression does not necessarily dictate whether someone experiences passive or active suicidal ideation.
What factors can influence whether someone leans towards passive or active suicidal ideation?
-Personality traits such as the capacity for violence and whether a person feels they are a burden on others can influence the type of suicidal ideation they experience.
Why is it important to take passive suicidal ideation seriously?
-It can evolve into active suicidal ideation, and people experiencing it may engage in risky behaviors that could inadvertently lead to their death.
How is passive suicidal ideation different from intrusive thoughts about death?
-Intrusive thoughts are unwanted and distressing, whereas passive suicidal ideation involves a desire for the event to happen or a wish for it to occur.
Is passive suicidal ideation treatable?
-It is often treatable, as it typically arises from depression or mood disorders that can be addressed through therapy, medication, or a combination of both.
What is the importance of the question the speaker asks at the end about the 'hole' in one's life?
-The question is meant to help individuals determine whether their passive suicidal ideation is a symptom of a mental health issue or a sign that something is missing in their life that needs to be addressed.
Why is it crucial to differentiate between a symptom of mental health and a missing aspect of life?
-This differentiation can guide the individual towards the appropriate path of treatment or life changes, as the solutions to these issues are fundamentally different.
Outlines
😔 Understanding Passive Suicidal Ideation
The paragraph discusses the concept of passive suicidal ideation, a form of suicidal thinking where an individual does not actively plan to end their life but may wish for an external event to end their suffering. The speaker shares that this is a common and misunderstood symptom, and they felt compelled to create content on this topic due to its prevalence. They aim to address common misconceptions about passive suicidal ideation and help individuals recognize and understand their feelings.
🤔 Is Passive Suicidal Ideation Normal?
This section questions whether passive suicidal ideation is a normal part of life. The speaker explores different interpretations of 'normal', such as statistically common or an inevitable part of the human experience. They suggest that while many people may experience depression, not everyone experiences passive suicidal ideation. The speaker emphasizes that accepting a life of misery as normal can be dangerous and that they believe life does not have to feel that way.
⚠️ Dangers of Passive Suicidal Ideation
The speaker warns that passive suicidal ideation can be dangerous and should be taken seriously. They explain that it can evolve into active suicidal ideation and that individuals may engage in risky behaviors without intending to end their lives. The speaker stresses the importance of seeking help and not dismissing these thoughts as a normal part of life.
🧠 The Difference Between Passive SI and Intrusive Thoughts
In this paragraph, the speaker differentiates between passive suicidal ideation and intrusive thoughts about death. Intrusive thoughts are unwanted ideas that突然出现 in one's mind, causing distress but not an urge to act. In contrast, passive suicidal ideation involves a desire for the event to happen. The speaker clarifies that while both can be distressing, they have different implications and understanding the difference is crucial.
💊 Treatment and Addressing the 'Hole' in Life
The speaker discusses the treatability of passive suicidal ideation, which often stems from depression or mood disorders. They suggest that while there is no direct treatment for passive SI, addressing the underlying mood disorder can help alleviate these thoughts. The speaker also introduces the concept of a 'hole' in one's life, which could be a symptom of mental health issues or an indication that something is missing in one's life. They encourage individuals to reflect on whether their feelings stem from a mental health crisis or a void in their life that needs to be filled.
🔍 Reflecting on the Cause of the 'Hole'
The final paragraph challenges the listener to discern whether the 'hole' they feel is due to a mental health issue or a genuine lack of fulfillment in life. The speaker acknowledges that this is a difficult question to answer, as the feelings can be identical. They emphasize the importance of this reflection, as it can guide individuals towards seeking appropriate help, whether it be therapy, medication, or addressing life circumstances.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Passive Suicidal Ideation
💡Depression
💡Anhedonia
💡Intrusive Thoughts
💡Mental Health Crisis
💡Treatment
💡Therapeutic Protocol
💡Personality Traits
💡Burden
💡Hole
💡Contentment
Highlights
Passive suicidal ideation is a form of suicidal thinking where one wishes for an external event to end their life, rather than taking action themselves.
Passive suicidal ideation is common, important, and often misunderstood.
A video on passive suicidal ideation received over 10 million views, indicating its widespread impact.
Passive suicidal ideation is not necessarily indicative of the severity of one's depression.
The tendency to experience passive or active suicidal ideation is linked to personality traits rather than depression severity.
People who experience passive suicidal ideation may not have the capacity for violence or may not feel they are a burden to others.
Passive suicidal ideation can evolve into active ideation and should always be taken seriously.
Passive suicidal ideation can lead to risky behaviors, even if the person is not intentionally trying to harm themselves.
There is a difference between passive suicidal ideation and intrusive thoughts about death; the former involves a desire for the event to occur.
Intrusive thoughts are unwanted and distressing, whereas passive suicidal ideation involves a wish for the event.
Passive suicidal ideation is often treatable, as it typically arises from depression or mood disorders that can be addressed.
Depressive episodes can be treated with therapy, psychiatric medication, or a combination of both.
The speaker emphasizes the importance of seeking help and not dealing with suicidal ideation alone.
The concept of 'the hole' is introduced as a feeling of emptiness or absence of feelings like excitement, love, or peace.
The speaker differentiates between 'the hole' being a symptom of mental health issues versus a sign that something is missing in one's life.
The speaker advises reflecting on whether 'the hole' is due to a mental health crisis or a void in life that needs fulfillment.
The speaker shares personal experience with both types of 'the hole' and the difficulty in distinguishing between them.
The importance of seeking support and exploring the cause of 'the hole' through therapy or self-reflection is emphasized.
Transcripts
if you go to bed at night and wish that
you would not wake up in the morning or
if when you're driving when you're in
traffic if you pray that some kind of
fatal accident would happen to you if
you just generally
don't really care if you continue to
exist and live you're probably
experiencing something we call passive
suicidal ideation as you can guess by
the name passive suicidal ideation is a
form of suicidal thinking in which you
are not going to do anything
intentionally to end your own life
but you kind of wish something would
happen to you you're ready for something
to put you out of your misery you're
suffering and you just want to be done
you're not excited about life you just
want life to be over with
there are a few things that I want you
to know about passive suicidal ideation
because it's a very common very
important
and unfortunately very misunderstood
symptom and you might be surprised that
I call it a symptom I'll get back to
that in a little bit
but I did a video about passive suicidal
ideation a few months ago
um and especially on Tick Tock it was by
far the most popular piece of content
I've ever created it had over 10 million
views I think like 40 000 comments I
mean I I completely lost track of it and
that made me realize that I must have
touched a nerve with that video I must
have really touched on something that a
lot of people are experiencing but don't
know they are experiencing and probably
have a lot of questions about I actually
feel kind of bad that I waited this long
to make a longer form piece of content
about passive SI as we call it
um just because it stirred up so much
interest and and I really worry about
how many people are out there
feeling this way and dealing with these
thoughts and and probably didn't even
know what to call them until a few
months ago and probably still don't know
what to do about them so today I want to
address five important pieces of
information about passive SI that people
usually misunderstand I also have an
important question that I'm going to ask
you at the end and your answer to that
question will help you determine your
next steps to figure out how to deal
with these thoughts
so the first thing I want to address
about passive SI is whether or not it's
normal because a lot of the comments on
my initial video on this said isn't this
just life like doesn't everybody just
feel this way are there really people
who don't feel this way
a lot of people said like is this normal
that that was such a big question and
that's a that's a dangerous question
honestly because Normal can mean more
than one thing right like
normal can mean
statistically more than 50 percent you
know it normal can mean common but
sometimes we also use normal to mean
like
that this is just the way things are
going to be we use normal to describe
something that that cannot be changed
that is just an inevitable part of human
life
and I don't know the answer to whether
passive suicidal ideation is
statistically normal it's not
statistically unusual I mean we know
that much we know
we know that at minimum you know about
20 of people do experience some type of
significant depression at some point in
their lives now on one hand not every
person who experiences depression
experiences passive suicidal ideation on
the other hand I think that number is
dramatically low I mean I think there's
way more than 20 I I would not be
surprised if the number of people who
experience at least one depressive
episode in their life is in fact above
50 percent
so if you feel this way you know if you
from what I've said so far think that
passive suicidal ideation is something
you experience I think asking whether or
not it's normal is the wrong question
the second type of normal that you know
is is this just inevitable is is not
being excited about life or not
necessarily feeling great about the fact
that you probably have you know I don't
know your age obviously 30 40 50 maybe
60 more years of this whatever this has
been is it weird or or bad that that
idea that that reality the truth of that
does not excite you
I don't want to come across as
judgmental because it's not my place to
tell you how you should feel about your
life but what I will say is this I think
it's a very dangerous thing to accept
because I do not believe life has to
feel that way and and I say this as
someone who has experienced passive SI
on and off for a large portion of my own
life so I'm not some academic
psychologist just pontificating about
this you know from the Ivory Tower of my
perfect life that's not me that's not
what this Channel or this podcast is
about
um so this is something I have dealt
with and and you know it's a little
presumptuous I guess to assume that it's
the same feeling for every person but I
know what this feels like I also know
what it feels like to not have it and
there were reasons but I was feeling
that way that we'll get to that at the
end when we get to my question my
question for you that I want you to
answer
but I don't believe that passive
suicidal ideation is normal from the
perspective of it's just this inevitable
feeling that we're all gonna have like
basically you know everyone's life kind
of sucks and there's no way that's ever
not going to be true and we should all
just buckle up
and just accept the fact that most of
life is going to be miserable I think
that is a complete load of crap I'm not
on board with that idea
but I know that it can be like that
so
that's my very long-winded answer to
question number one is it normal
question number two
is it an indicator of severity because
we also have of course active suicidal
ideation now active suicidal ideation is
when a person is actually planning or
maybe even taking steps toward ending
their own life now obviously that is a
very different situation
in general though whether a person is
experiencing passive or active suicidal
ideation is not a great indicator of the
severity of their depression the
tendency to go from passive to active
like which way you lean more often has
more to do with some underlying
personality traits than it does with the
severity of your depression and full
disclosure I'm basing a lot of this
information on the work of Dr Thomas
Joyner at Florida State University and
his interpersonal theory of suicide
which if this is a topic that interests
you at all he's the guy he's the guy to
listen to check out his work
10 out of 10 you will learn a lot
he deposits through a lot of research
that he's done that people who get more
into active suicidal ideation are just
different types of people than the
people who spend more time in passive
suicidal ideation there are personality
differences in these two groups of
people mainly things like capacity for
violence so suicide or attempted suicide
is a very violent act and some people
simply do not have the stomach for that
type of action it doesn't mean that
their depression is not as bad it's it's
a line that not everybody is willing to
cross personally I'm thankful for that
but some people just cannot make
themselves engage in acts like that and
it just is this it just is this
threshold that they have inside of them
another big factor is whether or not a
person believes that they are a burden
on others in other words if you feel
like your existence generally makes
things worse for people around you that
puts you at greater risk for being more
of an active suicidal ideation thinker
if you don't necessarily feel that way
and you still believe that you have some
value or some connection or some
importance to other people that tends to
put you more in passive territory that
still can be a mixed bag because
sometimes you hate your life you don't
enjoy being alive you feel miserable but
you know that other people want you here
or or need you here or would be
devastated if you were gone and so
sometimes the only thing that keeps us
in that passive mindset is the knowledge
of how our passing would impact others
and that's often where we get into those
pray for death type mentalities because
you don't want to be the one who does it
because you know that that would change
how other people think and feel
but you just don't know how much more of
this you can take
um so so it's very possible relatively
common even I would say for people with
severe depression people who are really
really miserable in life and and who are
not enjoying being here
to still primarily experience passive
suicidal ideation
um so if this is you don't think well my
depression must not be that bad because
I rarely if ever you know get into that
active mindset or where I'm really
planning or thinking about what I would
do that doesn't mean your depression is
is mild or moderate it very well could
still be severe and don't think that
about other people either
don't don't take it for granted
basically
um and that kind of leads into my third
piece of information that I want you to
know about passive SI which is it can
still be dangerous and it should be
taken seriously I say that for many
reasons one is you never know
I know this might seem at first like it
contradicts what I just said but but it
doesn't and I'll explain why you never
know when passive s i
can Morpher evolve into active I've seen
that happen many times
um again whether this is I don't know if
you're listening to this for you or
you're listening to this you know
thinking about somebody else right now
in your life whether it's you or
somebody else
don't think that you know while it's
passive so like I know nothing's gonna
happen at least
you don't know that you don't know that
this is risky territory this is this is
dangerous stuff and you should always
take any type of suicidal thinking
seriously whether it is yours or
somebody else's because the other thing
is
sometimes passive SI gets so bad that
people
put themselves in situations
and again they're not
they're not intentionally
doing something to end their own life
but they're not avoiding it either
um you know they're they're not engaging
in behaviors that are congruent with
self-preservation sometimes you see
things like reckless driving or heavy
substance use
recklessness with medications and and
not to the point where it's like I'm
making an attempt on my own life
but there are levels of not caring about
what happens to you and those high
levels of not caring
they can be very very dangerous
so please please please please please
please like if there's one thing you get
from today
always take it seriously even if it's
you even if it's you and I know that
that might sound hypocritical because
always take seriously the thing that you
think might be the way out of your
suffering like I I know how that sounds
and I know that you can't just stay here
for other people forever I know at some
point this life would have to not feel
the way it currently feels to you in
order for you to see any value in
sticking around I believe that it can I
know that it can I'm not gonna bang that
drum too hard today but I've been there
okay and I know that it can change
unless something permanent happens and
then it won't and who knows what the
next step is after that so please please
please please please please please
take it seriously
the fourth thing I want you to know is
that there is a difference between
passive suicidal ideation and intrusive
thoughts about death
let me explain that because it may not
sound different
an intrusive thought is an idea or an
image or a concept that will pop into
your mind somewhat frequently and and
you're not intentionally thinking about
this thing like you're just going about
your day taking care of your business
and all of a sudden your brain just boom
death right or it could be anything in
this example it's death so if you're
I'll go back to the driving example if
you're driving and and you're like on a
on a heightened on Earth am I trying to
say if you're driving up high you know
what I mean right like like on a on and
on ramp or an off-ramp or something and
you you know you kind of look out your
side window and you're like that's a
good 30 feet down there you know if I if
I slipped off this road right now I'd be
in for a bit of an adventure and that
could that could end very badly for me
if if in like a flash of you like
driving off that Cliff just pops in your
mind and it freaks you out and you're
like oh my gosh and you grip the wheel
Tighter and you pay really close
attention to what you're doing that's
not passive suicidal ideation that's an
intrusive thought the difference is
intrusive thoughts are not urges they're
not impulses in fact the vast majority
of intrusive thoughts that we experience
are things that we explicitly do not
want to happen
there are things that disturb us or
freak us out and they're things that
we're trying to stay away from and our
brains kind of latch onto that and they
remind us hey this could happen so like
be really careful
whereas with passive suicidal ideation
there is desire behind it there is some
level of a wish that it would happen or
or a desire to have it happen so if you
have thoughts or images of your own
death and they they terrify you and they
disturb you and and they make you want
to pay attention to what's going on or
like work very hard to make sure that
thing doesn't happen that's not passive
SI that's an intrusive thought about
death so it is important to know the
difference
the last thing that I want you to know
about passive SI and this will lead into
the question that I've been teasing this
whole time is that in most cases it is
treatable
now it's not directly treatable there's
not like a therapeutic protocol or a
medication for Passive SI but the vast
majority of passive SI comes from
depression or some type of mood disorder
comes from depressive episodes I should
say we can have depressive episodes for
many reasons of course major depressive
disorder bipolar disorder
schizoaffective disorder just to name a
few but most experiences of passive Si
take place within the context of a
depressive episode and depressive
episodes can be treated they are
typically treated by either therapy
psychiatric medication or a combination
of the two so if you are experiencing
some of what I've described today and
you are not currently seeking treatment
or receiving treatment for a mood
disorder I would highly highly recommend
that today be the day you start to
figure out what you want to do and but
by what you want to do I mean do you
want start with therapy do you want to
start with meds do you want to start
with both do you want to see a doctor or
a psychiatrist for meds what kind of
therapist you want to see start the
process of finding help now because this
is miserable and I don't want you to
have to live this way any longer than is
necessary it's probably already been
going on for too long I do not want you
to have to deal with this alone anymore
and there are people out there who want
to help
that being said
here's my question to you and this this
is a simple question but it's a hard
question and I know it's a hard question
I you might have an answer right away
you might not either one is okay
when we
experience depression and anhedonia and
passive suicidal ideation there's this
feeling that goes along with it I call
it the whole and if you felt it you'll
instantly know what I mean it there's
this feeling of an absence inside of you
it's just that something something is
missing there there is a there's a black
hole or like an empty spot or a vacuum
inside of you where there should be
feelings and those that might be
feelings like excitement or or love or
peace or contentment and you just can't
feel them in the spot like there's a I
think this will make sense to you
there's a spot inside where those
feelings should be and it for me I guess
it must be here because I'm pointing I'm
probably off I think that part of me is
off camera but I'm pointing to like
right where my heart is probably
sometimes you just can't feel those
things
I believe that there are two reasons for
the whole there's two reasons that we
feel empty inside sometimes reason
number one is you're experiencing a
depressive episode or some type of
Mental Health crisis reason number two
is something is wrong with your life and
they're not mutually exclusive either so
it's possible to have both reasons
but the question is
am I feeling this whole in my life am I
is is the reason that I am not excited
to wake up tomorrow morning
because there's something wrong with my
mental health
or is it because my life shouldn't
reasonably make me feel that way
in other words like do you look at your
life if you kind of zoom out of your own
head for a minute no we can't really do
that just pretend if you take a bird's
eye view of your life you look at it as
an outsider as a person who who's never
met you before do you look at your own
life and say that person probably should
be like fairly happy that person looks
to have a pretty good life and if that
person is kind of wanting to die half
the time there's probably something
going on something's not working quite
right in their mind
their neurotransmitters aren't
communicating as efficiently as they
should be or something's blocking all
this influx of positivity in their life
because sometimes that's the reason
or is there something missing
because sometimes that hole is a lie
sometimes that hole is a symptom
sometimes things are good sometimes
things are fine and they just feel like
they're terrible but they aren't they're
they're they're good they're all right
and sometimes they aren't
sometimes the whole is real sometimes
there is something that should be
present in your life that is not there
maybe you have a gift a special talent
or or ability that nothing in your life
is allowing you to use
and that can create a whole maybe you
are missing something in your life that
you've always known you needed you were
meant to have like
a partner or or children or some certain
career
there there might be something missing
maybe you don't have a sense of purpose
maybe you don't have a spirituality or a
religious connection to something that
you need maybe you do need something
maybe something is missing
it's important to ask this question and
try your best to answer it because it's
going to take you in two very different
Pathways your answer is going to lead
you down one or two roads and you have
to ask and answer this question because
here's the I hate this part I hate that
I'm about to say this but it's it's true
so I'm going to tell you I have felt
both
so like I I've had periods of life when
I knew life is good like I know that I'm
all right right now and I know that this
feeling inside of me right now is a
problem is a symptom
I know everything's all right I just
can't feel it right now I've also felt
the whole
because something was missing because
something was wrong because my life
wasn't going the way it was supposed to
be and that feeling wasn't fake it was a
genuine authentic reaction to my
legitimate life circumstances
this is the part that I hate they feel
identical
at least for me I guess that's
presumptuous of me to assume that that's
true for all people but at least for me
they feel identical
I cannot tell the difference just by how
I feel
if I'm actually experiencing a real hole
in my life if something is really like
have I gone astray on my life course
or am I just unable to enjoy what I
already have right now and again I'm
making this an either or question it's
very possible to have a bit of both too
but I want you to be thinking about this
because if you feel that it's more of a
symptom
then that's going to put us back more on
that treatment route right like you have
a life you've worked very very hard to
build and assemble this life
that should be capable of making you
feel good and it's not doing it probably
because something something isn't quite
working right inside of you we can help
with that
but if it's the other it if something is
truly missing in your life that you need
to be content or happy medication
definitely can't help with that and
really like you wouldn't want it to
anyway probably right like making you
feel fake good about a life that isn't
actually right for you that's a scary I
don't know if I'd want that that's a
scary thought
therapy can help in the sense that it
gives you a place to help figure that
out like to help work through like well
then what is it you know what is it that
I'm missing what do I need
therapy can help with that it can't
solve the problem for you but it can
give you a person to bounce ideas off of
it gives you this dedicated period of
your day where you explore what's going
on inside because we get busy right we
get caught up in our day-to-day we don't
we don't spend a lot of time on these
kinds of questions and that's part of
how our lives can spiral so out of
control so easily
so I want to make sure that you really
think about this because if you feel
strongly it's one or the other then that
tells you a little bit about where you
need to go from here
now unfortunately you know if you do
realize I think something actually is
missing from my life obviously I cannot
tell you what that is the only person
who's ever going to be able to figure
that out for sure is you and I do want
you to have help in that process I do
still recommend that you go to therapy
in that scenario as well but please know
that ultimately the only person who's
going to be capable of unraveling that
web is you but there's nothing wrong
with getting some help in doing so some
support some structure et cetera et
cetera et cetera
so I hope you know more now about
passive SI than you did heading into
this video or this podcast episode
however you're choosing to listen to
um it I left the word it out of that
sentence important important word there
if you did get some good value out of
this all I ask is that you show me some
support in some way or another you can
do that by subscribing you can do it by
leaving a review you can do this by
sharing it with somebody who you think
would benefit from this message all I
want is for this to get out to people
who need it so if you can help me do
that you have more than paid me back for
the time and effort I put into this
thank you so much for being here and I
will see you next time take care
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