I understand this. I have been where you are. But we have to play the cards that are given us. Choosing to die is not one of them. Wanting to die... That is a choice but it will affect a lot of people around you... You would leave behind a void that can not be filled...

The Difference Between Being Suicidal and Wanting to Die

Wanting to die and being suicidal are both awful and possibly dangerous but being suicidal and wanting to die are not the same thing. In my experience, wanting to die is passive and being suicidal is active. Thus, being suicidal is considerably more dangerous. I’m not saying that a passive desire to die can’t hurt you – certainly, it can – but I would suggest that being actively suicidal is more of an emergency situation.

Why does the difference between suicidality and wanting to die matter? Well, I think it impacts how you communicate your feelings. For example, when I simply want to die, I don’t feel that I’m in imminent danger but I know that feeling and thought pattern could be a stepping stone to full-blown suicidality so I need to deal with it and absolutely not ignore it.

If on the other hand, I’m actively suicidal, that’s the time when a suicide safety plans need to be put into place and even a trip to the hospital may need to be arranged.

While I absolutely think that both states need to be recognized and dealt with, I still think it’s important to recognize the difference between a serious problem and an emergency situation.

Regardless, if you are feeling either one of these things, you need to know that treatment helps – in fact, treatment is the only thing that does (if you ask me). That might be talking to your therapist or doctor, but definitely, talk to a professional. Hopefully, you can successfully communicate your specific state and your professional can assess your active risk for harm and get you the help that you need.

By Natasha Tracy