Suicidal ideation is a term that describes a preoccupation with or any recurring thoughts about suicide. The spectrum of this problem is broad, ranging from transitory thoughts to an in-depth plan. Many people feel suicidal at some point in life; however, most successfully overcome these negative thoughts through a robust support system. At the same time, a handful of people never break free of this dangerous cycle, no matter how hard they try. For such people, joining a suicidal treatment center is the best option to save their lives.
Remember that feeling suicidal does not indicate a character flaw or weakness. The feelings simply mean that a person is overwhelmed by emotion and stress and looking for different ways to cope. For such people, the future is a big black question mark surrounded by uncertainty. However, with support, time, and love from a suicide rehab, such people can easily overcome the problems that are making them suicidal and live happy life.
When to Join a Suicide Treatment Facility: Warning Signs to Look Out For
It’s not possible to tell when someone is considering suicide. However, some common signs can give away the motive of self-harm in many cases. These warning signs include the following:
- Talking about suicide using statements like, “I wish I hadn’t been born” or “I wish I were dead”
- Doing self-destructive or hazardous things, such as driving under the influence
- Getting the means to take their own life, such as stockpiling pills or purchasing a gun
- Being preoccupied with dying, death, or violence
- Changing normal routines, such as sleeping patterns or eating habits
- Experiencing mood swings, such as being emotionally high one day followed by low mood the next day
- Withdrawal from all social contacts
- A desire to be left alone
- Increased use of alcohol or drugs
- Giving away personal belongings or getting all life affairs in order without any logical explanation for doing so
- Acquiring personality changes, such as aggression, anxiety, etc.
- Saying goodbye to others as if they would not ever see them again
- Feeling hopeless or trapped in a situation
What Happens in a Suicidal Treatment Center?
Treatment for suicidal ideation or attempts is typically delivered as a part of the Mood and Anxiety Program in most rehabs. The program is in a residential treatment center with services designed to provide the most favorable outcomes for all clients. The treatment is based on a neuropsychiatric approach that aims to heal the body, mind, and spirit in a serene and distraction-free facility offering comprehensive care.
Using a multidisciplinary approach through a blend of complementary, evidence-based conventional treatments, the caring staff at a suicide treatment center strives to support every patient’s capacity to grow and achieve wellness. The all-encompassing goal of the treatment plan is to help each resident decrease the symptoms of self-harm while equipping them with tools to resume healthy everyday functioning with minimal turmoil elicited by suicidal thoughts.
The types of services at a suicide rehab vary on a case-by-case basis, and a treatment team collaborates with each client to determine and plan it. The program is typically intensive and revolves around the principles of dialectical behavioral therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. Additionally, all clients get an opportunity to take part in the following treatment methods tailored to their unique needs:
Medication Management
People with suicidal ideation often require psychotropic medications to alleviate their symptoms rapidly. However, medication needs vary case-by-case as all clients may not require it. All residents engaging in suicide treatment plans attend counseling and therapy sessions with a psychiatrist or an attending physician a couple of times every week to determine the need to use medication, monitor its response and side effects, and make adjustments if needed. Clinical technicians and registered nurses may also assist in monitoring the clients’ medication needs.
Individual Therapy
People struggling with suicide ideation also get a primary therapist with whom they meet at least once every week. These individual sessions typically take place under the supervision of a master’s level clinician or licensed psychologist. They aim to allow clients to discuss their progress and address their concerns.
Group Therapy
In addition to one-to-one sessions, inpatient care for the suicidal patient also involves group therapy sessions. As a part of these sessions, each client joins a few other people with similar issues and engages in valuable and productive discussions.
This therapy takes place a couple of times per week and allows all clients to share their experiences while gaining insights into others’ lives. Some common topics that group therapy sessions typically cover include stress management, mindfulness, healing anxiety, grief and loss processing, gaining resilience, relapse prevention, acquiring healthy coping skills, etc.
Recreational and Therapeutic Activities
To help residents establish a stronger sense of self and more confidence as they overcome suicidal ideation, many treatment centers for suicidal patients provide them with multiple therapeutic activities. These activities may include psychodrama, personal training, yoga, adventure therapy, movement therapy, Chi Kung, play therapy, art therapy, enhanced equine therapy, and opportunities for additional exercise.
Miscellaneous Services
For people with additional symptoms of suicidal ideation, many rehabs provide different services through innovative approaches. These facilities also allocate particular time for these additional appointments according to individual needs. Such services include:
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Massage
- Salon
- Somato-emotional response massage (SER massage)
- Biofeedback
- Psychological testing
- Acupuncture
- Somatic Experiencing® Therapy (SE)
- Mindfulness meditation
- Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
Additionally, many rehab centers have separately functioning stabilization units where clients can achieve physical stability before seeking behavioral treatment. Throughout the program, the rehab staff keeps conducting ongoing assessments to monitor the needs and progress of each professional. The aim is to ensure that every client smoothly progresses toward healing with minimal disruption.
Helping a Loved One Get Suicidal Ideation Treatment: What can be Done?
If someone around you has attempted to take their life or has mentioned that they are feeling suicidal, such an incident may have provoked a multitude of emotions in you. These emotions may include sadness, fear, anger, shock, or guilt. Many people also find navigating through these complex circumstances difficult and do not know what to say or how to say it. However, remember that you may never get the chance if you do not speak up now.
Here are a few tips to help a loved one with suicidal ideation:
Say Something
If you fear that your loved one has been thinking about suicide, consider saying something like, “I am concerned about you.” Something as simple and non-judgmental as this line can allow your loved one to talk openly about their feelings.
Crisis Management
If a loved one mentions that they have been thinking about suicide, treat it as a signal to act immediately. The most dangerous suicidal behavior always involves a specific plan that includes the time to carry out the act, the means of doing it, and the intention to carry on with it. So try to assess all these elements in your loved one’s case through the following questions:
- Do you have a suicide plan?
- Do you have what you need to act on the plan?
- Do you intend to die by suicide?
- Have you decided when you are going to do it?
Based on the answers, if you have a reason to believe that your loved one is in danger, do not hesitate to call the emergency services while removing any lethal or potentially life-threatening items from the surrounding. Do not leave them alone and help them search and join an appropriate suicidal treatment center. Reassure them that you are going to stick with them throughout treatment and ever after it
Frequently asked questions
Why is it essential to join a suicide treatment center?
People who feel suicidal do not realize that they are down in a hole so deep that it becomes impossible to see the light. Many such people feel trapped and terrified with little knowledge about how to help themselves. Any thought they may have about the future is filled with apathy and sadness, and they firmly believe that things are never going to get better for them.
Most of these people tend to isolate themselves and do not open up quickly out of fear of being labeled as crazy. Such people require a professional place run by people who are not only trained and experienced but also non-judgmental and compassionate to allow a suicidal person to open up and move past their dangerous intentions.
Why should I join an inpatient teen suicide treatment center?
An inpatient treatment center is mostly the best level of care for people with suicidal ideation. Such a program allows you to escape the worries and problems of daily life to focus on recovery.
Additionally, an inpatient treatment center will enable you to heal and recover while keeping you safe. Moreover, you also get a chance to meet other people with similar issues and connect with them to grow, heal, and learn together.