# Telling therapist about suicidal thoughts...



## insight girl

So if I tell my therapist about the suicidal thoughts I'm having will she be required to do something like put me in the hospital...? Because if that's the case, I will not tell her. I don't want her to overreact, I just want her to help me...


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## epril

Your therapist won't put you in a hospital unless she feels there is real, imminent danger. You should feel safe to talk to your therapist about your suicidal feelings. That is the way toward recovery!


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## Badmonkey

epril said:


> Your therapist won't put you in a hospital unless she feels there is real, imminent danger. You should feel safe to talk to your therapist about your suicidal feelings. That is the way toward recovery!


+1


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## percyblueraincoat

If you express suicidal thoughts to a therapist, no, we would not move to put you in a hospital.

I am unaware of the regulations in all of the countries of the world apart from the UK but in the UK, I'm bound to a confidentiality clause unless the client presents evidence of a crime having taken place or I believe the client is in danger of hurting themselves or other people. Or if I have reason to believe abuse is taking place or if another person is causing hurt or harm to the client in terms of risking their health and or their life.

As a therapist, I have no power to put anyone in a hospital. To do that, I'd need doctors and it would also be my responsibility to consult the guidance and ask for the input of someone more senior to me.

Unless there is a serious reason why we should, we, as therapists, are reluctant to go down that route. 

If you were to say that you had recently tried to take your own life or seriously intended to act on your suicidal thoughts, that would be another matter. 

Your health and care and support is our duty as much as it is yours since by coming to see a therapist, you're placed in our care to a greater or lesser extent. We have a responsibility to do our best to make sure you are safe. 

So, yes, talking about feelings and thoughts is perfectly safe. So is talking about most other things.

Only if we seriously believed you were in imminent danger of harm would we even attempt to go through all the stuff that is needed to place people in hospitals.

It should be understand these are the regulations which hold me in my practice and work with clients and the ones I abide by under the auspices of the UKCP and BACP. 

They may not be the same for all therapists or forms of therapy.


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## insight girl

Thanks for your replies... I appreciate them!


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## rockyraccoon

It depends. If you have suicidal ideation as opposed to actually wanting to committing suicide. If it's just ideation, then no you probably won't be committed. But to be honest, you should tell your therapist. If you are having suicidal thoughts then maybe you should be in the hospital to get the help you need.


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## Hideko

I mentioned about suicide thoughts to my therapist once last year, not an even an hour later 2 police cruisers were there to escort me to the suicide clinic, had no choice in the matter. I really wasn't too bad off so they let me go about 10 hours later, since then though always had to watch what I said and eventually ended the therapy, tough call on their end I realize but I don't know if I could ever open up 100% in therapy ever again.


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## Durzo

I am nervous about this too, my first therapy session is tomorrow:afr I don't think this topic will come up though... I am not bringing it up thats for sure. 

Join, I read your reply and thats good to know at least (since i am in the UK).


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## CoyoteNature

I had suicidal thoughts when I was younger, guess they must have thought I was serious, so they called my parents, got me to see a psychiatrist it was a close call but I was nearly sent to a hospital for it, I was just put on some antidepressants, and watched closely but some of the options included everything from lithium to what imagnined to be shock treatment at the time, so it was a bit scary. I guess in retrospect I was a bit serious at the time, so they had to do it, umm that shouldn't detract from you opening up to the therapist.

Its a lot better then internalizing it to the point where you actually do commit suicide.


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## FairleighCalm

I told my therapist i had the idea but i had no plan nor did i actually want to do such a thing. That let them know i was depressed but wanted help not "intervention". Hope that helps.


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## Christina123

Unless you're bat**** crazy it's almost impossible to get a bed at a psychiatric ward. Well, in the UK anyway. I confessed sucidal thoughts to my shrink, actually two shrinks and nothing happened.


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## Xande

I think it depends if they think you're going to act on those thoughts or not. Lol I rather not take that chance.


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## lynnb

I was worried about the same thing before I told my therapist. I listened VERY carefully, and read the paperwork she gave me, concerning what she's legally obligated to do. I told her that I have these thoughts, but they are just thought and I have no intention of acting on them. She said, "okay, if you have no intention of acting on them, but if that changes, call me..." So, that was good. I think the key if if I am an imminent threat to myself. I really, really don't want her disclosing that I have those thoughts to others, so I try to stay on top of it and I will say something to her if it changes. I have the thoughts a lot though.

When I was 9, I tried to kill myself and they DID hospitalize me for about a month. I'm really cognizant of that risk! The funny thing is, I actually LIKED being hospitalized, because it was such a vacation from my home life, but I missed my sister and my freedom.


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## QuietBoy99

Hideko said:


> I mentioned about suicide thoughts to my therapist once last year, not an even an hour later 2 police cruisers were there to escort me to the suicide clinic, had no choice in the matter. I really wasn't too bad off so they let me go about 10 hours later, since then though always had to watch what I said and eventually ended the therapy, tough call on their end I realize but I don't know if I could ever open up 100% in therapy ever again.


I would say do not mention any suicidal thoughts to your therapist unless you are prepared to be put into a hospital. Therapist asked this all the time and it drives me nuts. Even If I did have some suicidal thoughts I would lie and tell them no just to shut them up.


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## JustKittenRightMeow

I always lied and said I never felt suicidal but I still got sent to the psych. hospital a couple times (mainly for behavioral issues and depression). The plus side was that I didn't have to be on lock down (which basically meant I could wear my own clothing, poop,pee and shower without someone watching, join in off-unit activities, etc) which was nice. If they know you are suicidal or self-harm, you're pretty much going to be on suicide watch and won't have much freedom if you do get sent there.


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