The presence of suicidal thoughts or plans. Many people with major depression or panic disorder may have such symptoms, even if only transiently, or in a vague, nonspecific way.
Suicidal ideation describes destructive thoughts and plans about dying. All people may occasionally experience such thoughts, but in a suicidal person they are uncontrollable and chronic. Suicide can be seen as the final step on a path that begins with suicide ideation and proceeds to planning, threatening, attempting, and completing suicide. Some young people make suicide attempts impulsively but more initially have suicidal thoughts. Although many more youth engage in suicide ideation than actually commit suicide, suicide is a leading cause of death in that age group. The 1999 national Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) survey found that in the United States, approximately 75% of all deaths among those 10-24 years of age owed to motor-vehicle accidents, other accidents, homicide, and suicide. Of the respondents, 7.8% reported at least one suicide attempt during the 12 preceding months.
To entertain thoughts or make plans to end one’s own life.