What is suicidal ideation?
Suicidal ideation occurs when an individual cannot cope with their mental health challenges or other events in their life. People who engage in suicidal ideation wrongly consider suicide to be the only option to deal with their pain and get out of difficult situations. Tragically, suicide occurs all too often and deeply impacts the lives of the victim's friends, family, and community members. With the right behavioral health treatment, people can learn to improve their mental wellbeing and avoid engaging in suicidal ideation.
What are the signs and symptoms of suicidal ideation?
Sometimes, there are signs and symptoms that may indicate a person is having suicidal thoughts. These signs and symptoms include:
- Having a preoccupation with death and constantly talking about death
- Taking part in dangerous behavior and taking life-threatening risks
- Self-isolating and avoiding social interactions
- Making statements or jokes about completing suicide
- Suddenly preparing a will or giving away items
- Exhibiting extreme mood swings
- Saying goodbye to friends and loved ones
It is important to note that in many cases, people who engage in suicidal ideation may not show any noticeable signs and symptoms. Suicide and suicidal ideation can impact people in our lives who on the outside may appear happy and healthy. Accordingly, it is crucial to be mindful of friends' and family members' mental health and always ask others how they are coping with difficulties in their lives.
In addition to being aware of signs and symptoms of suicidal ideation, people should also be aware of risk factors and potential trigger events for suicidal thoughts. Knowing these details can help people identify at-risk individuals even when they are not showing symptoms. Common risk factors and trigger events for suicidal ideation include:
- Suffering from a physical illness, particularly a terminal illness, or serious injury
- Dealing with a history of traumatic events
- Experiencing the loss of a loved one
- Dealing with a recent break up of a romantic relationship
- Facing legal or financial jeopardy
Additionally, engaging in increased substance abuse may be a sign of potential suicidal ideation. Sometimes, people engage in heavy substance abuse as a way to mask the pain of other issues in their lives. This substance abuse can lead to further deterioration in their lives, and they may consider suicide as the only option to deal with their pain. In some cases, heavy substance abuse can be a sign of a person giving up on their wellbeing and no longer caring about negative impacts on their physical and mental health.
How Vista del Mar Hospital’s medical staff in Ventura, CA can help deal with suicidal ideation
When a person engages in suicidal ideation, they are in need of help. These individuals feel that suicide may be the only option to deal with mental health challenges, and they often feel hopeless about improving their mental wellbeing.
At Vista del Mar Hospital, our clinical team has decades of experience helping people who engage in suicidal ideation improve their mental wellbeing. Our treatment programs include inpatient and outpatient programs for a range of mental health conditions that may contribute to a person's suicidal thoughts. Our inpatient programs offer 24/7 monitoring and medication management, and our outpatient programs help provide continued monitoring and support after discharge from inpatient programs.
During treatment programs, our behavioral health professionals at Vista del Mar Hospital help each patient understand the underlying causes of their suicidal ideation. Through individual therapy and group therapy sessions, we help people manage their mental health conditions and understand that they can improve their mental health. When people know that they can improve their mental health and get back to a life they enjoy, they no longer view suicide as the only option to deal with their pain.
Our team at Vista del Mar Hospital understands that each patient's underlying reasons for suicidal ideation and life circumstances are unique. Accordingly, we customize each treatment program to the patient's individual clinical needs and logistical requirements. Through customized treatment programs, our team can more consistently produce positive treatment outcomes.
Get treatment for suicidal ideation at Vista del Mar Hospital
If you or another person is ever in immediate danger of hurting themselves or someone else, call 988 immediately. First responders can provide immediate, in-person help that is necessary for some situations. Additionally, know that the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is open 24/7 at (800) 273-8255. Anyone can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for free to speak to a behavioral health professional.
To enroll in a behavioral health treatment program to address suicidal ideation, call our team at 805-653-6434 or contact us online. We can help answer any questions you may have about our treatment programs for suicidal ideation or our behavioral health hospital. Additionally, a team member can schedule your or a loved one for a free mental health assessment. With the free mental health assessment results, our clinical team can better understand the person's unique needs and start building a customized treatment plan.
Resources
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/suicide/symptoms-causes/syc-20378048
https://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/depression-recognizing-signs-of-suicide#1