this post was submitted on 27 Jun 2026
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[–] yetAnotherUser@discuss.tchncs.de 8 points 1 week ago (3 children)

because doing so would land me in a mental institution

Source? Most (Western) countries have requirements like "Must be in acute danger to themselves or others" to involuntarily commit you. Even self harm, as long as it doesn't put your life at significant risk, is insufficient.

Even suicide prevention hotlines don't send tracking information to emergency services as long as you aren't e.g. telling them you will kill yourself right before hanging up.

The fact you've been having these thoughts for 25 years makes me think you weren't in acute danger for (the vast majority of) that time.

[–] JennyLaFae@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 6 days ago

I had a friend confess to having suicidal thoughts a few weeks before the appointment she was at and was proud of how she'd handled it but wanted to talk it out with the therapist. Involuntary committal for three days on a holding bed because they had to wait on a transfer to the involuntary facility; then two more days after switching to voluntary (instead of continuing to waitlist involuntary) before she got to go home.

[–] architect@thelemmy.club 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I mean he’s right, you can’t answer the questions they ask completely truthfully. They will consider you a risk to yourself. Then you get your rights removed.

When suicide is one of the only ways we have control over our experience, I’m not sure why it’s so shocking that someone would think about it daily.

Can’t even talk about it.

I mean he’s right, you can’t answer the questions they ask completely truthfully.

Honestly: If you are able to make a therapist appointment by yourself, the likelihood you pose such a high risk to yourself that you will be involuntarily committed seems rather low. I mean:

  • You are functioning sufficiently to get through all the barriers put in your way to see a therapist
  • You clearly care about your mental health
  • You are able to think rationally

Passive suicidal ideation (e.g. thinking about suicide regularly) sucks but it's largely harmless in the short to medium term. And that's what involuntary commitment focuses on. Like, you're not going to be strapped down on a hospital bed because you said you don't go to the doctor for preventative care, even though it's deadly in the long-term.