Not everyone who experiences suicidal distress will say:
“I am going to kill myself.”
Sometimes the first signs are much less direct.
You may find yourself thinking:
- “I wish I could disappear.”
- “I don’t want to wake up.”
- “Everyone would be better off without me.”
- “I can’t do this anymore.”
- “There’s no point.”
- “I just want everything to stop.”
These are sometimes described as passive suicidal thoughts.
Passive does not mean unimportant.
A passive wish not to be alive may be an early warning sign that somebody is experiencing significant distress and would benefit from support.
The University’s suicide-prevention approach has long emphasised taking every expression of hopelessness, reduced self-worth, or a wish or plan to die seriously.
You do not need to have made a plan, attempted suicide or reached a particular level of distress before asking for help.