Thoughts of suicide can be active or passive, but what is the difference? Experts explain.

As someone with ongoing passive suicidal ideation, I am keenly aware of the types of thoughts that go through a suicidal person’s head. For many, when the conversation approaches suicide, people tend to step back when it should really be the opposite.

According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, there’s evidence that social support is associated with a decreased likelihood of suicide attempts. Specifically, individuals with higher social support may be more than 30% less likely to have a lifetime suicide attempt than those who receive little support.

Over the past few years, conversations around suicide have become more common, but it’s still a topic people don’t like talking about. September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and there's no better time to educate on the spectrum of suicidality (a clinical term describing both thoughts of suicide and actual suicide attempts), especially on the difference between active and passive suicidal ideation.