suicidal people deserve a space to talk about their suicidal feelings without risking hospitalization/institutionalization or being accused of being manipulative or attention seeking
It’s a therapist. The word you’re looking for is a therapist.
wrong
The second a therapist thinks you’re even slightly suicidal (ie. Whenever you even say the word suicide) they “pink slip” you, which means you get sent to a mental hospital against your will.
I think about suicide almost every day, but it doesn’t always mean I’m gonna go kill myself.
I just want to say, as someone who has taken courses in ethics and regulations regarding psychology and therapy and has worked at a counseling center for more than five years, THIS SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE. The only time a therapist or other healthcare provider is required to report suicidal or homicidal ideation is if there is a specific plan. I am deeply sorry to anyone who has ever experienced a therapist who acted otherwise. To the person above, I am not sure what your experience has been, but I promise you it is not a typical one, at least not in the area where I live (California). I have never heard of a “pink slip”, and I’ve worked with therapists for 5+ years.
Going to a therapist changed my life. I was able to open up and say “I think about suicide almost every day”, and for the first time in my life someone said “You don’t have to live like this.” She didn’t have me hospitalized, she didn’t raise any alarms. She gently asked me if I had a specific plan, and when I said no, she said “We are going to help you get better.”
YOUR THERAPIST ABSOLUTELY SHOULD NOT HAVE YOU HOSPITALIZED AT THE MERE MENTION OF SUICIDAL IDEATION.
If you say, “I’m going to kill myself tonight by overdose,” then yes, they are required by law to have you hospitalized. Otherwise it is THEIR JOB to help you process your feelings and find a way to help you function and feel better.
I cannot be more emphatic about this. Therapists, by and large, are here to help, not to hospitalize. If you have health insurance, contact them today to find out about your mental health coverage. Go to your general care doctor and tell them how you’re feeling so that they can refer you to the right person. If you don’t have health insurance, find a resource for a free/reduced fee clinic near you. Marriage and Family Therapist Interns are a great option, as they often see clients on a sliding fee scale. PLEASE GET HELP.
LISTEN TO ME: YOU CANNOT LEGALLY BE HOSPITALIZED AGAINST YOUR WILL FOR SUICIDAL IDEATION. FEAR OF HOSPITALIZATION SHOULD NOT STOP YOU FROM SEEKING HELP.
I understand that many people have hospital related trauma, and I understand, and sympathize. Talk to me. Send me a message. I will be happy to find you further information on laws and regulations in your area, referrals to other counseling centers, or even just listen to what you have to say.
I couldn’t in good conscience scroll past this without saying something. As someone who struggled with depression for much longer than I should have because of fear of seeking treatment, I want to encourage everyone, experiencing any degree of mental illness to get help. I will do anything I can to support those of you going through something like this. I’m here for you.
I literally talk to my therapist about suicidal ideation all the time and all she’s ever done is have me clarify that I wasn’t planning on acting on it. I’m tired of tumblr discouraging people from trusting mental health professionals.
tumblr is full of ridiculous claims about how mental health people behave. like, i know several people who’ve been sent to mental hospitals. most of them asked to be. they specifically tried to check in. people sometimes discuss with therapists whether the degree of planning they had in place constituted “enough” for hospitalization. it’s a cooperative process because the goal is to figure out whether they need that help.
i’ve never seen this “pink slip” thing, and i’ve seen lots of people who talk to therapists about suicidal ideations a lot.
um. ‘pink slip’ means you’re fired. it’s not even a thing in mental health care.
i discussed suicidal ideation with my therapist for years. she had me clarify that it was ideation, not a plan, and hospitalizing me was not even considered.
stop trying to scare depressed people into avoiding help. it’s about as helpful and responsible as trying to talk them into sticking a fork in a light socket.
Actually a “pink slip” IS a medical psych thing, it’s the paper the police or a healthcare worker fills out when somebody is considered an immediate danger to themself or others.
I saw and read about one or two cases during my nursing psych classes–somebody who’s trying to walk into traffic because there’s a voice in their head telling them to, somebody who’s trying to attack their own body with a knife because it’s “evil”. If there’s a situation like that going on, the person would have the opportunity to enter the hospital voluntarily and receive treatment, or if they’re clearly in danger/dangerous and they refuse voluntary treatment, the police can pink slip them and admit them. It is definitely a thing. :O
All that said, it is NOT applicable to somebody who’s going to therapy to get help for their suicidal thoughts, doesn’t have a plan, and is obviously willing and ready to try to get their thoughts back in order. Long story short some therapists are good eggs and some therapists are crappy as hell and need to never practice again.
Relevant Edit: It looks like that terminology differs by area–in my state, they call is a “Pink Slip”, which, yes, is the same as the paper you get when you’re fired???? Very confuse. It’s also called a “Psych Hold”, apparently, a “Pink Paper” or a “Baker Act Form”. The more you know!
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