September is Suicide Prevention Month, and it’s time to address one of the most harmful factors when it comes to suicide rates and suicide ideation. In the United States, 12 million Americans have admitted to struggling with suicidal thoughts, and 3.5 million have made a plan to end their lives.1 Unfortunately, that number is likely higher as many don’t feel comfortable talking about their suicide ideation for fear of stigma or worrying those around them.
This stigma can perpetuate feelings of isolation and loneliness that can increase depression and suicide ideation. To prevent further suicides, it’s important to break down the stigma around the topic and to have more understanding and compassion.
The Danger of Stigma
Research has shown that the stigma against suicide ideation can in fact increase suicide ideation in many patients. In a 2017 study, a survey of suicidal subjects found that those who had exhibited suicidal behavior or talked about their suicidal thoughts were more likely to experience stigma among their peers and community. 57.1% of respondents feared stigma from their close family and friends, while 56.6% feared stigma from emergency medical services.2
This is especially dangerous, because when those struggling with suicidal thoughts fear that reaching out for help will result in being stigmatized, they may feel much less likely to reach out for help. They may fear that in seeking out mental health treatment, their family and friends may judge them or think less of them. As this study shows, they may even fear that the medical support that they reach out to will stigmatize them.
Inquiring about suicide ideation and talking about those thoughts has actually been shown to reduce suicide ideation.3 It can help those struggling with suicide ideation feel more understood and less alone. But this can only happen if it is discussed in a way that allows patients to feel safe and unjudged.
Dismantling Stigma Against Suicide Ideation: the Barriers To Break Through
To dismantle the stigma against suicide ideation, it’s important to first understand what creates or enables that stigma. Here are a few barriers that often stand in the way of those with suicide ideation reaching out for help.
Misconceptions About Suicide
People who haven’t struggled with suicide ideation often state that suicide is the “coward’s way out” or that committing suicide is selfish. In some cases, these statements have even been used by those working in suicide prevention. Even if the intentions are good, the results are often more harmful.
This mindset is also a gross misunderstanding about suicide and the mental health conditions that can exacerbate suicidal thoughts. Those who struggle with suicidal thoughts may be convinced that their loved ones would be better off without them and may struggle to see the ways this is not true. They struggle and attempt to push back against their thoughts frequently. Unfortunately, some succumb to those thoughts, but those who do are not cowardly or weak for doing so.
Suicidality is a symptom of an illness. In the same way that we would not say someone who dying from cancer is taking the “coward’s way out,” it’s not fair or accurate to say that of those who struggle with suicide.
Misconceptions About Talking About Suicide
One common misconception that people have about suicide is that asking someone if they’re having thoughts of suicide or feeling suicidal may increase their feelings of suicidality. There is a fear of distressing those who may already be in a precarious place and pushing them over the edge. But as aforementioned studies have shown,3 the opposite tends to be true: when there’s more transparency, it reduces the risk of suicide. It may be awkward to broach the topic, but doing so can help those struggling with suicide ideation feel more seen and less alone.
Cultural Competency Concerns
Many people who battle suicide ideation suffer from stigma or being misunderstood by those closest to them. Cultural aspects, such as religion or the experiences of your community and culture, can sometimes add to the intensity of stigma around suicidality and mental health. And this can be made worse when someone dealing with stigma in their culture reaches out for mental health support — only to find culturally incompetent care.
In a recent YouTube video, mental health advocate Natasha Bowman shared her own experiences with suicide ideation and her bipolar disorder diagnosis. When she was diagnosed, she faced stigma from her family and community and struggled to find a mental health provider who could fully understand this.
“When I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and shared my diagnosis with my family, many of my close family members no longer wanted to be associated with me,” she explained. “As you can imagine, this was devastating to me. When I shared this experience with the mental health professionals I was seeing at that time, they had difficulty understanding the cultural stigma of mental illness in my community. Because they lacked cultural competency, they could not guide me through this obstacle meaningfully. What sets Rivia Mind apart is its commitment to inclusivity. They have a wide range of mental health professionals from different races, cultures, and providers who specialize in working with women and the LGTBQI and transgender community.”
Accessibility Issues
Mental health issues are sometimes brushed off as a “champagne problem,” a problem only experienced by those who “can afford it.” Suicidality is likewise often brushed off as something made up for “attention.” Obviously, this is blatantly untrue. All people of all classes, races, cultures, and financial standings have to take care of their mental health just as they have to take care of their physical health.
However, because of the costs of mental healthcare and insurance issues, this is often financially inaccessible to those who need mental healthcare the most. This is why it’s important to make the mental healthcare landscape more financially accessible. It’s also why Rivia Mind works with most insurance providers. This way, even if our patients change insurance, they can still be covered and have access to the mental healthcare they need.
At Rivia Mind, we know how important it is to have transparency about suicide ideation and to treat it without judgment or stigma. Our skilled and compassionate clinicians are here for you. Contact us today to learn more or to schedule a free 15-minute consultation.
Resources:
- Are suicidal thoughts common? – Stony Brook Medicine
- The Reciprocal Relationship Between Suicidality and Stigma – Carpiniello, Bernardo and Pinna, Frederica, 2017
- Does asking about suicide and related behaviors induce suicidal ideation? What is the evidence? – Dazzi, T; Gribble, R; Wessely, S; Fear N. T., 2014
