Posted by shrinking violet on August 27, 2004, at 19:54:37
In reply to Assumptions: Suicide, posted by Sebastian on August 26, 2004, at 18:35:26
>> Assuming that someone is suicidal because they talk of the thoughts is rediculous. Sounds like they are asking for help. How do you get help, if you can't ask for it?
I haven't yet read all of the replies so forgive me if I repeat something that's already been said.
I know what you mean. Back in January, I was having suicidal thoughts which turned into urges. I told my T (via a journal entry I left with her after one session) because I thought that telling her would relieve some of the internal "pressure" in my mind and break the circular thought pattern and if I got out the thoughts they might stop. Instead, she freaked, told me to return that week, set up a surprise doc appt, some of the tests came back abnormal, so the doc and my T "strongly urged" I go IP for the 3 day weekend. Now, my T denies it was that contrived, but I think it's too coincidental. She knows she couldnt have put me inpatient based on what I said in the entry b/c I never said I was going to do it, just think about it, so I think she was "hoping" for a medical reason to put me IP (in a psych ward) so she could rest easy for the 3 day weekend (so this makes more sense, I should add that my T and medical doc work for the university where I am a graduate student; the medical situations appy to my having an eating disorder).
Since then (loooong story; I wrote more about it in the "worst therapy moments" thread) my T is a little better about my telling her of having those thoughts. If I told her I was planning it, or intended to carry it out, then I know she'd take action. But, c'mon, if I was actually suicidal, and intended to carry it out, would I really tell her?? No, I wouldnt.
I hope you find someone with whom you can talk about this. Letting out those thoughts can sometimes help free yourself of them. Can you talk about this with your T (if you have one), just the general subject of what he/she would do or think if someone just had thoughts but no plans, etc? Maybe if you can feel him/her out, see what they think, maybe you'll be able to admit the thoughts without having them react.
Take care.
poster:shrinking violet
thread:382653
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20040821/msgs/383145.html